


Band Camp

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Lots of Original Characters - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Strangers to Lovers, harry is a trombone, josh is a snare, liam is a trumpet, louis is drum major, niall is in pit percussion, zayn is a drummer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-21 16:45:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 59,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1557230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two best friends, two mortal enemies, two complete strangers. One thing brings them all together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

~Harry~

The fog was still lifting as I rode my bike out of my garage and towards my school. The sun hadn't risen fully yet, the beginnings of it just peeking over the horizon. It was a normal August morning. Cool and dreadful. But why was I up before the sun you may ask? There is only one answer and that response is band camp.

I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to stand under the hot sun for 5 hours. I didn't want to play an instrument and I did not want be one of those nerds in marching band. But I had to.

Last month, my mom had caught me doing some things with my friends. Things I shouldn't have done, shouldn't have been doing. She got angry and made me join the marching band, eliminating all those friends I had once had. Although, if they really were my friends, they wouldn’t have left me for such stupid reasons. And that meant that I had no one.

I tried to plead with my mom and to get her to see why I couldn't do band, but she wouldn't hear it. So now, for the rest of my summer break, I had five hours of marching band with those stupid band people.

"It's okay, Styles, that's where you belong," All my ‘friends’ had said to me. It pounded through my skull now, all of their taunting. They said it was good, I was with all the bisexuals, where I belonged.

So here I was, with all the bisexual band kids. I had to get up at every morning before seven just to ride my bike to the school and be here on time. It was a pain in my ass. Not just because my bike seat was hard.

At this point I had arrived at the school parking lot, and I slowly pulled off my bag, attached my bike to the rack and started for the door. There was a boy and a girl standing at the entrance, holding the door open. The girl was the field commander, I think. She had red curly hair and a pretty face. Pretty fit, I noticed, and her short shorts complimented her long tan legs. She smiled at me warmly as I got close to them. When I saw the boy, I almost turned back around and hopped on my bike to head home.

He was too stunning. Side-swept, mahogany colored hair, a tad of blonde in there that was just accentuated by the rising sun. His hair fell over his forehead and blue eyes sparkled happily behind rimmed glasses. I couldn't help but stare into them, watch them shine and glow. He wore a green Adidas shirt and black shorts.

"Hi, I'm Beckah, a field commander this year," The girl smiled at me politely and I tried not to cringe. She was pretty, but too preppy and nerdy. And she was in band. Not my type.

"Are you a freshman, Curly?" The boy asked me. I snorted.

"No, I'm a sophomore. And my name is Harry." He held a clipboard in his hand and flipped over the page.

"It's the curls, I think. Make you look younger." He winked at me, and I smiled. "Harry Styles?"

"The one and only," I replied cheekily, and he checked what I assume was my name off the list.

"I'm the other field commander," He shifted the clipboard to his other arm and held out his hand for me to shake. I took it graciously. "My name's Louis Tomlinson."

I slowly began to put together my trombone, my hand tingling from Louis' touch. I watched the band nerds as I slid together my instrument. It was like a sad, lonely place here. Everyone was hugging and touching each other. It was creepy, but they all seemed pretty close. My friends had never even given me a high five, let alone a hug. No wonder everyone thought band people were gay.

"Five minutes to field!" Someone yelled. I quickly threw my bag over my shoulder and carried my trombone out the door, wanting to escape this touchy-feely place. I was the first one, so I laid down on the grass and closed my eyes. Maybe if I just closed my eyes I would wake up, and this would all be a dream. I wouldn't be in marching band. I would be home, asleep.

"Can't sleep band camp away, mate," I felt a foot nudge my arm but I didn't open my eyes to see who it was.

"Sure I can, watch me," I smiled as the sun hit my face. I stayed unmoving, my eyes still closed.

"I suggest you get up, Curly," said Louis, for of course it was he. I put one hand over my face and groaned. When I opened my eyes the sun blinded me. "Here,"

I reached for Louis' outstretched hand and he pulled me into a standing position. He bent down and picked up my trombone and handed it to me. With a wink, he was off to get his drum major stand. I watched as he bent over, his athletic shorts tightening around his bum. I licked my lips until someone came crashing into me.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Niall said, hugging my tightly. I smiled at the neighbor kid, my close friend.

Niall and I had an odd relationship. He lived down the street from me, moved here when we were both five. We instantly became friends. We went to primary school together, but different middle school. We still hung out and stuff, but I made new friends, and a lot of the time it was my friends making fun of Niall. When we went to high school, we were back in the same school, with our own group of friends. His hated me, mine hated him. We didn't talk much during school, though every night we did our homework together. There was always a soft spot in my heart for the little blond boy.

"Hey, Ni. Mum made me join band," He took his arms off of me and smiled.

"Aw, c'mon, Haz, it's not so bad,"

We talked the rest of the time, as slowly the rest of the band came in. The director, Mr. Hilton had us all standing in a long line down the field, freshman to seniors.

"Take all your instruments and set them at the front of the field." Mr. Hilton said. He was a good-looking guy. Dark hair, dark eyes, tan skin. Kinda like an Indian.

"Don't you go inside?" I asked. Niall smiled at me.

"We stay for fundamentals and stuff, then we go back up." He said goodbye and disappeared around the corner, taking to a girl with ravish pink hair, who gave me a horrid look, leaving me alone, once again.

I set my instrument down at the front of the field and went back into the line. I noticed a couple weird stares at me, but I ignored them. They didn't want me to be here, I didn't want me to be here, we were on the same team. Or band.

"Juniors and freshman on that line, sophomores and seniors over here." I walked quickly across the area between the two lines and looked down at my feet smiling. Louis was a senior, so he was over here somewhere.

"We are having a wheelbarrow race," Mr. Hilton announced. I snorted,but when I looked around at my fellow band mates, I realized he was serious.

"What?" I looked around, and a couple people laughed.

"Choose a partner everyone, and line up." I looked to the guy next to me, but he had already chosen someone. The girl on the other side of me already had someone, too. I sighed and turned around to wait for the boogery, gross, nerdy kid that I would have to go with.

"Oh, no, Curly, you're with me," Someone grabbed my arm and I felt tingles go up my spine.

"I don't know how," I mumbled to Louis. He smiled at me like a teacher would to a small child.

"Some times you have to take risks,"

"But I don't even know how," I looked down at my converse in defeat.

"Harry, if you're going to be in band, there is just one thing you have to learn. Never give up before you even try,"

I didn't want to do this, but I wanted to be around Louis, so I willingly laid in the grass, Louis grabbing my ankles, and waited for Mr. Hilton to give us the okay.

"The trick is just keep moving," Louis took his thumb and grazed it around my ankle. Little did he know what effect that small touch had on me. Warmth spread up my leg and goosebumps appeared on my arms.

"What if I fall?"

"Get back up! You can't fly unless you let yourself fall, Curly!" I smiled at his reference to Justin Bieber, and soon Mr. Hilton had us ready to go.

"Three, two, one, GO!" He screamed. Louis took off behind me, but I wasn't ready and ended up falling face first in the mud.

"C'mon, Curly, get moving!" I quickly stood up(well on my hands) and began to move. Hand after hand I went, until slowly, I crossed the finish line. Last, I might add.

"Yay, we did it!" Louis helped me up again and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

"We lost," I noted.

"Yes, but you don't know what we might have won," Louis smiled at me before walking away.

~Louis~

"C'mon people, it's not that hard, this is just the fundamentals!" I said loudly as I passed the trombone section. "This is the fun stuff! You can't spell fundamentals without fun!"

"You also can't spell it without mental," I heard the curly-haired sophomore say. I stopped my walking and turned towards Harry.

"One, two, three, four, c'mon Curly, move your feet to the beat,"

"I don't hear a beat," Harry complained. I took his shoulders and pulled him aside as the rest of the band continued their fundamentals.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight," I clapped it out and marched as I did so. "Each number I say is a beat, each beat you move. Try it, Harry,"

I counted out again and Harry moved quite well with my rhythm. "Good, now try a slower tempo,"

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight." Harry counted slowly with me, and his feet rolled perfectly with the counting.

"Good job, Curly. That pigeon toe is good for something, perhaps," He smiled proudly. "Now, hope back in line,"

I slapped his butt and he blushed slightly before returning slowly to his section.

He was going to be pretty fun to mess with this year.

I knew the kid well, better than he might've thought. He was funny, cheeky, and very, very curly.

The nickname actually wasn't me at all. My little sister Lottie had a large crush on the green-eyed boy. My mom hated him though, said he was bad company, a bad kid. So whenever Lottie had to come talk about him, we used the code name, Curly.

When he first walked in this morning, his hair pulled back in the snapback, I had just said it. Curly. I liked calling him that.

Again, I watched the younger boy march. He was good, but I could tell he didn't want to be. He was quiet, counting slowly out loud to himself, but he didn't want to look like he was trying to hard. He just wanted to get through the band season.

This was my last year. I was senior, I was in charge, and I wanted to make it memorable. That's why I had him do the wheelbarrow race with me. Maybe I could help him, make him want like band, and not be afraid to try.


	2. Chapter 2

~Liam~ 

I slammed shut the car door and threw my bag over my shoulders, applying sunblock to my face as I walked to the school. It was scorching already, and it was only day one of August band camp. I hoped we didn't scare away too many of the new freshman. 

I heard another door slam and turned to see my best friend, Zayn climbing out of his car. His hair perfectly done and his face glowing with the excitement for our junior year of band camp. 

"Drum roll, please," I laughed, and he rolled his sticks on the hood of his car. He smiled at me and took the sunblock out of my hand. 

"Can you believe it, mate?" He began to rub sunscreen on his face and neck as he spoke, "Our second last year of band camp," 

"I somewhat consider this my last year," I laughed at him as we wound our way around the cars and towards the school building. 

"Oh yeah, Mr. Field Commander, I almost forgot," He slapped my arm playfully with the back of his hand and I smiled. Our director had already chosen me as the field commander for next year, so this year I would need to show lots of good leadership. I wasn't prime choice for field commander, and Mr. Hilton was skeptical about it at first. He still was actually. I wasn't sure if I was good for it either. The band program and I had a hard relationship. 

We got through all the car and bikes of the band kids who had already arrived. 

"Late, boys?" Our current field commander Beckah said to us, as she stood at the door. The other senior commander, Louis, was there, and smiled at me. I owed Louis a lot, he had helped me to get out of that time. He showed me band, and convinced Mr. Hilton to believe in me. "On the first day?" 

"Sorry, running a little behind," We squeezed past them without another word, and I quickly assembled my trumpet. When I was done, I walked over to Zayn, to carry his snare drum to the field for him. We had done it since the beginning. I had always felt bad for the drums, they really worked ten times harder then us all the time. Their instruments were heavier, their parts were harder, and their marching was really confusing. I laughed when I saw he had some sunscreen sitting under his chin. 

"You missed some," I pointed to the lotion and looked at me confused. I reached my hand up, "You missed some sunscreen," 

I took the lotion and rubbed it in where it was, and looked back at Zayn, gently lifting my thumb to his cheek. Zayn cleared his throat and I removed my hand from his face. 

"Thanks," he spluttered and quickly set his snare drum over his shoulder. Before I could blink, he was out the door and headed to the field. 

So much for carrying his instrument for him. 

I started for the door, heading past the pit instruments. The section leader, Niall, twirled his sticks and looked around the room nervously. He was the only one not on the field. 

"Ready for another season, Niall?" I asked, hitting his back and waking him out of his daze. 

"You know it!" He stood up excitedly and began following me back towards the field. We walked out to the field, and Niall congratulated me on the field commander thing. 

"Oh, thanks," I smiled at him, not knowing what else to say. "Wouldn't be surprised to see it as you in a couple years though," 

"Nah, I'm pit," Niall sighed and kicked a pebble with his shoe, sending it flying onto the band field. He bent over quickly and picked it up, depositing it into the pile. "No one would take me seriously out here," 

"That's not true, Niall," he shrugged. We had gotten to the band field by now, and Niall quickly waved and ran over to the other side of the field. 

I felt a hand on my arm and turned to see my girlfriend Danielle. She held her flags in her arms and her hair was her natural curly. 

"Hey!" I smiled at her and she grinned. "Excited?" She responded only with a nod. 

"You know, I was thinking afterwards you and I can go meet up with Andy and Paige maybe go see a movie or something?" She looked hopeful, so I felt bad when I had to tell her no. 

"Me and Zayn were going to go back to my house with the seniors to help brainstorm for freshman initiation tomorrow," She frowned and began to walk away. I held her arm and looked her in the eyes. "Hey, I'm sorry, babe. I got asked to help a week ago." 

"I get it, band comes first." She turned away and I heard her angrily mumble, "I guess Zayn does, too." 

I frowned at her back as she slowly walked over to the other color guard girls and they began their stretches. 

Upset, I found my way over to Zayn, who sat on the ground messing with his drum. I was going to tell him what just happened with Danielle, but Mr. Hilton started to speak. 

"Juniors and freshman on that line, sophomores and seniors over here," I walked behind Zayn and stood next to him on the line. Again I tried to talk at him, but the sun was in my eyes, and I couldn't see. 

"We're having a wheelbarrow race. Choose a partner everyone, and line up." Zayn turned to me, and the sun cast a shadow across his face, accentuating the blonde streak in his hair and touching lightly on his tattoos across his collarbones. 

"You want to be my partner?" I nodded, excited for the idea of a race. 

We decided quickly that Zayn was going to be the wheelbarrow and I would steer him. When the whistle blew we were off. It was evident from the beginning that we would win. We worked together so well and moved as one, not stopping until we crossed the finish line. When we did, when his arm went over the line, I felt pride surge through me. 

"We did it, we won!" I said happily, picking him up of the ground and pulling him into my arms. I heard his laugh, sweet and bright, felt his breath tickle my ear. Warmth spread through my body as we pulled apart. 

This was definitely going to be a great year of band camp.

~Zayn~ 

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight," Liam's loud and authoritative voice rang through my ears as I marched forward, and I once more reached to the spot right under my cheek, where his touch lingered not even three hours earlier. Now all I felt was my own perspiration. 

Liam continued to count somewhere in front of me, and the band shifted to side marching. He was going to be a good field commander next year, he had this leadership stuff all down. He was smart, funny, likable, and hard working. I wasn't anything like that. I wasn't smart. I couldn't make someone laugh if my life depended on it. I wasn't likable at all. 

Mr. Hilton yelled water break just when I needed it. I took my snare drum off and set it on the field, following behind Liam to the coolers and stands. For the last two years, Liam had gotten me and him a water bottle. 

"I feel so bad. I take this tiny trumpet around and blow into it while you have a big drum," was what he always said. I smiled to myself at the memory. Liam threw me a water bottle and laid down on the grass. 

"Why did I miss this?" He chuckled, referring to band camp. 

"Cause your a band geek," I joked, kicking his side with my foot, and his laugh rang out sweet and happy. He was the only person that ever laughed at me. 

"So are you," he slapped my leg lightly and warmth spread up my leg just from that simple touch. It was true. I was band geek. That was actually how we first met. 

It was our freshman initiation. It sounds fun, I know, but it was hell. At the start of the afternoon all the seniors took the freshman to a fast food place. We had to dress up in whatever the seniors gave us, and then order our food wearing the silly costumes. But that wasn't the worst of it. Whatever you were dressed as, you had to order in that particular way. Like one girl in the class was dressed up as a cowgirl, she had to order her's by saying y'all every five minutes. 

I seemed to be the only boy who got a bad costume. I had showed up late, and had to wear the last thing in the pile, which was a cheerleader outfit. Yes, a cheerleader. I was the last one in line, too, one of the girls in my class being in front of me. Only it wasn't a girl, it was Liam. 

I had been adjusting my shirt, pulling it down as much as I could, but still half of my stomach was showing. I thought the line was moving, so I stepped forward, and ran into Liam. 

He was doing some adjusting himself, trying to tie up the back of his dress. He looked pretty annoyed at the time, he didn't like band to begin with. That's why it is so surprising that he is going to be field commander next year. When I ran into him the entire front of the dress came down, and he stood without a shirt on. I had apologized, but then I looked at his face. His brown eyes were happy, his smile was large, and he started to laugh. Then the manager had come and Liam got in trouble for not having a shirt on. We got kicked out. 

It was pretty funny, and we ended up sitting outside on the bench laughing. That was how I met Liam, and we became best friends. 

As band camp started our sophomore year, he met Danielle, a color guard girl. I knew Danielle didn't like me. I don't know why, but she didn't. I didn't like her that much either to be honest, but Liam was my best friend, and just because he got a girlfriend who I don't like doesn't mean I'm leaving him. 

I smile quietly at the memory of our initiation and how much fun we would have planning this years later. We sat under the sun for a minute more, before Mr. Hilton called us back up and into formation.


	3. Chapter 3

~Niall~ 

I stood next the big mallet instrument and twirled the stick between my fingers, nervously. Looking around the room, I could see some familiar faces, and some not. As a sophomore this year, I knew all the seniors and juniors from last year. I remember all the faces from last year, if not all the names to go with them. No matter how much I knew these people though, I still felt uneasy. 

This year, our band director had moved my pit percussion instruments to the front so he could hear us over the band when they were inside. And now I felt everyone was looking at me, just waiting for me to mess up so they can laugh. 

Not that they don't laugh already. All people ever do is laugh about pit percussion. We were kind of the 'Hey! You're too stupid to march and play an instrument, so you stay inside while everyone else marches for hours. And now everyone in the band hates you!' 

I wasn't stupid. That was one thing I couldn't stand being called. I wasn't stupid. And neither was the rest of my pit. All of them were smart, and I wasn't going to handle being made fun of another year. I was the new section leader, even though I was just a sophomore. I was in charge and I wasn't going to let my sections get made fun of just because we didn't have to march. 

"Hey Niall!" I heard a voice yell across the room. I knew the voice only too well. It was the reason my stomach churned in anger most days. The reason I cried myself to sleep some nights. It almost made me not come back to band. Josh Devine. 

"Horan!" Josh yelled again, but this time he was right behind me. He grabbed my shirt and held me up against the chimes. "I asked you a question!" 

"W-what J-Josh?" I tried to control my shaky voice, but his fist was pushing on my neck, and it was hard. 

"Why did you even bother to come back? Pit doesn't do anything anyways," He squinted his eyes at me and pushed harder on my neck. "You guys are worthless shits. If anything you mess us all up." 

He let go of my neck and started to walk back towards his snickering section. A ball of fury built up inside of me and I tried to contain it. Sometimes I just couldn't stand him. He was a senior, and section leader for the battery percussion. He thought just because he carried a big drum he could boss me around. 

"Don't listen to him, Niall," I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to my friend Mia. She had her bright pink hair up in a high bun, and I smiled at her shirt. It was pink, like her hair and had a drill chart on it. The words said 'what part of this don't you understand?'. 

"I know," I picked up the stick I had dropped when Josh grabbed me, and placed it back in the container. "He just bugs me," 

"He bugs everyone," She ran her hands over the marimba and balled her tiny fists. "I swear, if he does anything to those poor new freshman I will sack him so hard." 

"Hey, don't do that," I looked her in the eyes and she frowned. "You have a tuba. Just hit him with that instead." 

She laughed at me and walked away. I watched across the room as she set her tuba on her shoulders. She went right behind josh and blew it loud in his ears, and he jumped. I began to laugh as she walked away, playing her tuba and dancing out to the field. Louis came up to me and told me that pit should come down to the field for fundamentals. I sighed but didn't make a move to stand up. I didn't realize I was in a daze until I felt a touch on my shoulder. 

"Ready for another season, Niall?" Liam asked, hitting my back and bringing me out of the daze. 

"You know it!" I quickly stood up and fell in step behind him towards the field. "Hey, congratulations on field commander thing next year!" 

"Oh, thanks. Wouldn't be surprised to see it as you in a couple years though," 

"Nah, I'm pit," I frowned and kicked a pebble where it flew onto the band field. I picked it up and threw it back on the pile. "No one would take me seriously out here," 

"That's not true, Niall," I shrugged and thought about field commander. It was something I had always wanted to do, but I just didn't think it was possible. We had just gotten to the band field when I noticed someone familiar across the way. "See ya, Liam!" 

I began to run, something I rarely did, but I was so happy to see him. 

"Harry!" I quickly wrapped my arms around the boy I knew so well. "What are you doing here!" 

He smiled at me and wrapped his arms around me. "Hey, Ni. Mum made me join band." 

He looked so upset. I quickly tried to cheer him up. "Aw, c'mon Haz. It's not so bad." 

"Not for you. But for me, it's different." I nodded understandingly and thought about how this would affect Harry. He would lose all his friends. Band wasn't cool. I was happy though, even though I felt bad for Harry. He would lose his friends, but his friends hated me, so maybe Harry and I could be better friends. 

"Just so you know Harry, I'm here," I hugged him once more and walked over to Mia, who looked at me, obviously upset. 

"Niall, he is going to treat you like crap," 

"Mia, he doesn't have any friends, anymore. His mom made him join band, he needs someone." 

"Whatever," she replied, crossing her arms as Mr. Hilton spoke. There was going to be a wheelbarrow race. 

"Ground. Now." Mia pointed to the ground and I shook my head. 

"Mia, I don't want to go on the ground! You do it!" 

"Niall, come on, it's funner on the ground!" 

"Funner isn't a word," I grumbled and crossed my arms. "And I can't do it. I have... sensitive wrists." 

"Sensitive wrists my ass!" She slapped my arm, "You play the freaking marimba!" 

"And the vibraphone, xylophone, and the glockenspiel," I smiled slightly, which just caused another slap from Mia. 

"Down. On the ground." I huffed and laid on the ground, lifting my feet up slightly for Mia to grab them. Balancing my body weight on one hand, I rotated my wrist, then switched to my other. 

"Why don't you have your girlfriend do it, Horan? She's a tuba, she has at least some strength in her, doesn't she? More than you at least, holding up those pathetic sticks," 

"Shut it, Josh," Mia said to Josh, who had showed up next to me on the ground. I breathed out once and didn't respond to Josh. 

"Fine. I guess we will just let the hands do the talking," He turned his head to the side and cracked his neck. Mr. Hilton lifted his hand up and counted to three. All down the line we flew off. The sophomores and seniors were racing to where the juniors and freshman stepped off, and the juniors and freshman to the line after that. I let all my anger at Josh out furiously dashed for the line. Mia had a hard time keeping up with me I think, but I kept going. I didn't stop, I just let my hands fly beneath me, not planning on stopping until I crossed the finish line, and when I did, it was the best feeling in the world. 

~ 

"Rum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum," I played on the extra snare drum and sang to one of my favorite Justin Bieber songs, Drummer Boy. We had been practicing our parts all morning, and the pit was bored. So I had come over and started messing around on the drum. "Yeah, I'm in the drum yeah I'm in the snare drum," 

The freshman all started to smile, and I began to sing louder. 

The door opened and Louis came in, smiling brightly. Louis was a really cool guy, and he always defended the pit if we were getting made fun of. He took his glasses off and wiped them in his shirt. 

"Looks like the pit is getting a lot done," I heard someone say from across the room. Josh came in, sweat dripping off his face. The light shined on it and his brown hair glowed. I didn't say anything, but Josh walked over, picking his sticks up and drumming exactly what I had just done, but like ten times better. 

I shrugged and walked away, over to the pit. He yelled after me, but I didn't turn around. I knew I couldn't play that like him, I would just make an idiot out of myself if I tried. 

"Okay, guys, let's try the first song." Louis looked at me with a confused expression, but I picked up my sticks and ignored him.


	4. Chapter 4

~Louis~ 

I stayed back a little after band ended to help Niall put the covers on the mallets. When we got done, Niall smiled graciously at me and hopped out the door with his a bright smile on his face. Mr. Hilton smiled at me as I left, but I didn't have time to talk, so I politely waved and slipped down the hall. I had to get to Liam's house, where we were planning freshman initiation for tomorrow. It was raining quite loudly, and as I opened the door I felt a wave of cold water rush over me. The roof above me had dumped water from the rain, leaving me completely drenched. 

"Shit," I muttered looking up to the sky and pulling my sweatshirt hood up. It didn't look like it would stop anytime soon, for the clouds were gray and the sky was dark. My feet flew under me as I began to run for my red Jeep and my tennis shoes were soon drenched too. I hopped in the front seat and ripped off my soaking shirt and my wet shoes and socks. Shivering, I cranked up the heat and started the engine. I drove barefoot out of the parking lot and to the gas station. I was still cold, so I got a tea from the drive thru before driving towards my house. 

I was just going down the road when I saw a cloaked figure. 

Nah, just kidding. It was just a boy with a navy blue sweatshirt pulled over his head, and soaked black shorts. He pushed a bike and walked slowly through the rain. I'd recognize that bum anywhere. I rolled down the window and yelled out in the rain. 

"You know, Curly, the bike is meant to be ridden," Harry turned around and smiled brightly at me, though he had every right to be thoroughly pissed at the moment. 

"I can't! The rain rusted my bike and it won't go!" I laughed and jumped out of the car, walking around the front. Harry looked at me confused and I nodded towards the car. 

"Get in," I took his bike and opened the back hatch, sliding it in and running back around the car. I opened the door and climbed back in, my body soaked and covered in goosebumps. 

"You're going to catch a cold out there, Curly," 

Harry said nothing, but when I turned he was looking at my bare chest with wide eyes. Was he checking me out? 

"Harry? You okay?" He looked up at me and I noticed how green his eyes were. Just like the precious metal itself, it was emerald, sparkly, and full of life. 

"I think I just got some rainwater in my ears," He laughed, and shook the water out of his hair, like a wet dog coming out of the bath. I felt some off the water land on my chest, and watched as Harry ran a hand through his curly locks which had caused my nickname for him. I had the urge to reach over, touch them, run my hand through the softness, but I stopped myself. You're here to drive Harry home. Right. 

We were silent as we rode, very awkward silence indeed. I really knew nothing about Harry. I knew his name. I knew his nickname. I knew he was hot. 

And off limits, my rational side whispered in my ear. It was rumored that Harry was bisexual, but even so, my mother hated him. He was a bad kid, not someone I could ever associate with. 

But that didn't stop me from wanting to. 

I asked Harry how he enjoyed his first day of band camp and he laughed, filling my car with the sound. 

"Not my favorite thing to do," I felt my heart sink at his words. I loved band. It was energetic, everyone was nice, and I loved music. 

"Would it kill you to try?" I turned to him as we got to a stoplight, and he blushed deeply, the red tiny spreading over his cheekbones. 

"I..." He started to speak, but his attention was averted to the car next to us. Three boys sat in the front seat of the truck next to us, laughing. "Shit." 

Harry quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and slid his body down until he was tucked in between the seat and the glove department. 

"Harry, what are you doing-" I questioned the younger boy, but quickly my gaze caught something else. The boys in the car next to me held up a pad of paper and a pencil, looking at me and writing quickly. I watched and my cheeks burned with anger as they held up the pad. 

GAY was written in big black letters, mocking me for my sexuality and filling my body with hate. I hated being mad, I couldn't control myself, and I did things I regretted. 

Luckily, the light changed and the boys drove away. I looked back down at Harry, who was still blushing. 

"Are they gone?" He asked, completely oblivious to the pad or what it said. I swallowed and nodded my head, trying to hold back the tears that were coming to my eyes. Harry sighed and came back up into the seat, buckling up and looking at me with an expression of accomplishment. 

"Why-" I cut myself off when I heard how shaky I was. I took a deep breath and started again, "Why were you hiding?" 

"It's complicated," He sat back in his seat uncomfortable. 

"I'm pretty understanding." I turned on his street and watched Harry out of the corner of my eyes. He looked troubled, and I felt bad. 

I wanted him to tell me what was making him upset. I wanted him to tell me why he hated band, and why he was so unwilling to try. 

But he didn't say anything, he just looked at his hands and wrung them together nervously. My head fell sadly as I pulled into his driveway. I opened up my door, where outside it was raining even heavier. Opening the hatch, I pulled his bike out of the back and passed it to him, our hands touching for no more than a second. 

"Thanks for the ride," He said quietly, turning to go back up to his house. 

"Harry," I slammed shut the hatch and took one big stride towards the curly haired boy. "Do you want a ride tomorrow?" 

"W-with you?" The raindrops dripped off his hair and again I resisted the urge to reach across and brush it away. I only nodded, scared of what I might've said if I spoke. 

"Sure," He smiled, and I nodded, overjoyed. 

"I will pick you up at a quarter past seven?" 

"Sounds good to me," He grinned once more and turned around, dragging his bike with him through the rain. I stood there not a minute more, before turning around and hopping back into my car, where I shivered against the cool leather seats. There was nothing on my mind except the curly haired boy who had just sat in my passenger seat. 

~Harry~ 

I deposited the worthless old bike into the garage and took off my wet shoes and jacket before entering the house. It was days like these I was happy my mom worked all day. The rain dripped off my hair as I ripped off my wet shirt, and hopped into the shower. The cold water felt good against my burning skin. The weather was hot this morning, and very humid. I just felt sticky and gross. 

I washed through my hair, looking down at my bare chest. Louis' was so nice looking, with the rain glowing off of it, tan and muscular. Not like my chub. 

I jumped out of the shower and washed off the mirror, wrapping my bottom half in the towel and pulling on some shorts and a tank top. I had just made some microwave nachos when there was a knock at the door. 

I sighed, setting the nachos down on the couch and walking to the door, looking back longingly at the cheesy goodness. 

When I opened the door, I wasn't at all shocked to see the blonde boy standing there. 

His hair was wet and he was wearing a snapback. 

"Hi, Harry!" He said happily, stepping into my house and walking towards the couch. "Yum, nachos," 

He picked up MY bowl of nachos and ate a couple, resting his feet up on the table and smiling at me. 

"Oh, what are you watching?" He turned the TV up and sat there a few minutes more. 

"Niall," I took a step forward and looked at the small boy. 

"These are really good," He ate the last of my nachos and looked at me brightly. His face was so happy, and it broke my heart to have to make him leave. So I let him stay. I made him more nachos and I let him stay. 

I couldn't let him get hurt again though, like I had before. I had to protect him, like I hadn't. He was my friend, but I was putting him in danger.


	5. Chapter 5

~Zayn~ 

I turned my car onto Liam's road, and reached my hand up to the place right under the crook of my neck, where his touch had lingered not even five hours ago. Before, where that warmth had been, where the warmth had spread through my entire body, now, well there was only my own perspiration. 

I needed to desperately shower, but I wouldn't be allowed that privilege for a couple hours yet. I was a junior, yes, but Liam and I had volunteered to help the seniors with freshman initiation, and I wasn't going to let Liam down. 

I could see him through my review mirror, his car, and a cheeky grin on his face. I watched, amused, as he sped up, driving around me and beside me, until his car was directly beside mine. Seriously, he held up a peace sign, and then continued straight ahead into his driveway. I pulled in after him, grinning. He was such a dork. 

"Raining cats and dogs out here!" He laughed, and even through the loud rain I could hear the ring and happiness in it. I slammed shut the car door and ran alongside Liam to his door, where he struggled with his keys. 

"Hurry up, mate, it's raining!" I said loudly, and Liam looked at me, his eyes crinkling around the corners and his smile big. 

"Really, I did not realize this, Mr. Malik, why don't you tell me all about it," I met his chocolate brown eyes and immediately felt warmth spread throughout my body. I wanted so desperately to tell him all about it, all about everything, but I knew I couldn't. 

"Shut up, loser," I slapped his butt jokingly as he finally got the key into the door and we stepped into his house. We were both on the rug, knowing his mother wouldn't like it if we stepped on her floor with our wet shoes. I reached down, and pulled off my shoes, then looked up at Liam. His eyes were big and brown, his cheeks red. He looked down and a deeper blush grew on his cheeks, his eyes boring into mine. I stared back at him, our faces inches apart, until we heard his mom yell from across the way. 

"Boys, take off those wet shoes!" 

"One step ahead of you, Mrs. Payne!" I said, my eyes not moving from Liam's dark ones. He looked down quickly and took off his other shoe, beginning the walk down the long hall for his kitchen. I followed suit, confused at what had just happened between us. When I came into the kitchen, Liam's mom gave me a smile. 

"I think after three years that's Karen to you, Zayn," 

"Sorry, Mrs. Payne," I pulled myself up onto a barstool and Liam laughed from the fridge. He picked up a bottle of Pepsi and threw it to me, and I caught it. 

"Be careful, boys, you don't want to-" Mrs. Payne was interrupted by a spray of the cool liquid headed directly for my face. I felt the cold pop spray and pain burned in my eyes as it hit. 

"Ahhh!" I screamed, and stood up from the counter. 

"Liam, take him to the bathroom!" Mrs. Payne said, and Liam guided me to the bathroom, laughing. At least I think it was towards the bathroom. I couldn't see very well because my eyes were closed. 

"It's not funny, mate, it's burning!" I felt the carpet change to wood under my bare feet and I assumed we had entered the bathroom. 

"Sit down you quaffed lunatic," Liam pushed me down onto the toilet seat and I heard running water next to me. 

"Oh no, is it in my hair?" I questioned, trying to open my eyes to see if the sticky soda had gotten in my hair. All I felt was a horrid burn, so I quickly shut my eyes again. 

"No, you look fine," Liam said quietly, as I heard the water turn off. A shadow passed over my eyes, and I knew Liam was standing in front of me now. "Open your eyes, Zayn," 

"It burns," I whined, shaking my head. 

"It will get into the back of your eye and you will have a infection if I don't get it out!" I sighed, and willingly opened my eyes. Liam's figure was blurred, and I saw an arm reach up to my eye, dabbing at my eyes. I let him clean off my face and sat quietly until he was done. He took one more swipe across my cheekbone, and stopped his thumb just where it was earlier today, in the band room. Again I felt the warmth, the tingle, the electric shock that came from his finger, just as I had earlier. I met my eyes with Liam's and they seemed to swirl like a bowl of melted chocolate being stirred. Stirring also, inside of me, I felt a small swirl, like Liam's eyes, a faint butterfly in my stomach as I looked into Liam's eyes. 

Then it was gone, just as fast as that pop had blew out of that bottle. Liam let go, and quickly walked over to the sink. I heard him mumble something, and throw the paper towel in the garbage can. 

"What?" 

"I said I need to get you a new shirt," He smiled, "Did you get some of that pop in your ears mate?" 

"Shut up, loser," I chuckled and followed him once again out the bathroom door and up to his room. He opened up his top drawer and threw me a black batman shirt. 

"You are giving me the honor of wearing your batman shirt?" I said, unconvinced and very confused at my friend. 

"Don't spill anymore pop on it and if you wash it, do it in cold, not warm because the warm water will fade the awesomeness," I ripped off my sticky, wet shirt and pulled over the batman shirt. 

"Don't go outside again, dude, you might scare the world with your nerdiness," I laughed, and picked up the dirty shirt. 

Liam fake hurt at my comment and we heard the doorbell ring, so we quickly came down the stairs. 

Louis came in the front door, Liam greeted him, and we started down the hallway to the game room, where we would be planning freshman initiation.

~Liam~ 

"The watermelon race we definitely have to do," I heard Josh laugh from across the room, and I chuckled. "That was the funniest part of ours, remember Lou?" 

"Oh yes, I certainly do," Louis lifted his hand up and touched his hair. "You put a watermelon half on my head!" 

"Sounds like a lovely hat," I heard Zayn snicker beside me, and I turned in my bean bag, grinning at him. 

"I think the best part about ours was getting kicked out of McDonald's," I said happily. 

"You got kicked out of McDonald's?" Beckah gasped and Zayn laughed. 

"Well, it was our freshman initiation," I started. 

"Obviously," Zayn stated, and I slapped his arm. 

"Shut up, you baboon," I chuckled, and turned back around, "We were standing in line, and everyone was dressed up in different outfits." 

"I was a cheerleader," I grinned, remembering Zayn in that costume, and how much I hated band, and how seeing him had made me feel so much more at ease. 

"Yes, Zayn was a cheerleader. What was I, Zayn?" 

"You were wearing that hideous dress, remember the blue one?" 

"Yeah, it was the blue one. I was fixing it, when Zayn ran into me, and my dress fell down! We got kicked out because I didn't have a shirt on," 

"But Liam wasn't mad, he was actually laughing his arse off," I smiled at the memory of Zayn and I sitting outside McDonald's with our dresses and cheerleader outfits on, laughing and just getting to know each other. It was so weird how quickly two people became best friends like we did. 

"You guys sound like an old married couple," I heard someone laugh, and I felt my cheeks grow warm and my insides churned. 

"What can we say, it was love at first sight!" Zayn laughed, and I remained still. Love? I quickly started laughing, and the conversation switched back to this year's freshman initiation. 

I watched Zayn the rest of the time though. When he laughed, his eyes squint together and he bites his tongue. When he smiles, it's like everyone else in the room smiles. 

I shook my head and focused back on the planning. Zayn was my friend, my best friend. But nothing more than that.


	6. Chapter 6

~Josh~ 

"The watermelon race has to be on the list, please guys, I'm begging here!" I said, laughing as I remembered Louis in that ridiculous watermelon hat I made him. My freshman initiation started off the beginning of the good times at band, and I wanted to make sure that all my under class men got to same experience. 

"We would have to take something else off then," Beckah said, twirling her pen and looking down at her paper where we wrote down all the stuff we would do at the initiation tomorrow. It was a long list, and we could only torture the poor freshman for so long. 

"I say the saltine cracker contest, we don't want anyone choking do we?" 

"I agree with you 100 percent, Louis, it's actually quite dangerous," Liam said, and I noticed Zayn smile, and slap his arm. I wish I could have a relationship like there's. They were so sure of themselves, so positive that they were best friends. I didn't have a best friend, at least like Liam and Zayn. 

I guess Louis could be considered a friend. He had helped me so much, and I really liked him. He would probably be the only person I could say was a friend. 

We finished up the last of initiation planning, and I was definitely ready to go home. My shoulders hurt from my drum, and I felt sweaty and disgusting. Unfortunately for me and my shower, Louis had other plans for us. 

"Joshie!!" I heard someone say, Louis to be exact, as I unlocked my car, the rain still pouring on me. Will it ever stop raining? I wondered to myself as Louis threw his arm around me. "You're the one pushing for the watermelon race, now we need to go out and buy some watermelons!" 

"Louis, I want to go to bed," I whined, the rain dripping down my neck as I unlocked my car and climbed into the passenger seat, 

"And you want the watermelon race, so we are going to the supermarket," 

I groaned, but got in my car and began to follow Louis down the road, drumming on my car wheel with my hands. 

"Rum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum," I drummed and sang, silently laughing to myself. The song had been stuck in my head all day, which was incredibly annoying, and stuck in my head all day. 

Louis followed behind me in the car the whole way to the store so I couldn't turn around and go home, not that I would. Louis wasn't that big, but he scared me shitless sometimes. We pulled up to the grocery store, Louis' car next to mine, and ran through the rain to the door. 

Louis grabbed a cart, and we traveled down many aisles and rows until we found a big box of watermelons. 

"Excellent!" Louis said, raising his hands in triumph. "We need at least 15 of these babies, Joshua!" 

"Fifteen?" I asked, completely bewildered. I knew we had a lot of freshman, and if they were in teams there would be less, but still, fifteen watermelons! 

"At least, my friend," He reached in, and began to pile the watermelons in my cart. I chuckled and went to go help him. We worked like an assembly line, him handing me the melon, and me setting it in the car. Once we got all the watermelons we needed, he headed down another aisle, because apparently we needed some more eggs, as well. We were doing the old spoon on the egg trick, so this would be quite a fun initiation. 

"Josh, can I ask you something?" Louis said, breaking the silence as we piled in the eggs. 

"Sure," I took the carton from him, and set it in my cart, looking at his face again, trying to read him. His voice sounded very quiet, and I couldn't wonder what he was going to adk. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, his eyes dark in thought. 

"Do you think it would be alright to bring one of the sophomores to initiation tomorrow? It's his first year, but I don't know if it would be alright," 

I laughed, and Louis looked immediately hurt. Quickly, I spoke up. 

"Sorry, Lou, but it really doesn't matter, does it? You are kind of in charge, you know," I said, taking the last egg carton from him and pushing my cart towards the check out. 

"Oh, yeah, I guess you're right," He said, laughing nervously. We quickly paid for the watermelons and eggs before leaving the grocery store. 

I was glad to be on my way home, and the only thing on my mind was a shower and a long nap. I loved band, but I always came home tired as shit. It was still raining as I jumped out of my car, and ran for the house. 

Suddenly, my feet fell from beneath me and I was in my mom's muddy flower bed. I groaned and felt the cold mud on my face, remembering earlier when I was stuck in the mud... 

~~ 

"Fine, I guess we'll just let the hands do the talking," I cracked my neck, and set my palms on the ground, preparing to take off and win this wheelbarrow race. I looked out of the corner of my eyes as Niall looked straight ahead, as if my words didn't even hurt him anymore. I was about to say something to him when I heard a whistle. Niall started running (well with his hands), and I was taken completely off guard. I felt my hands collapse from under me, and my face go straight into the dirt. 

~~ 

That's were I was now, my face in the dirt, remembering how Niall had beat me. He had to do everything better than me, and for that I hated him. I hated him so much. He literally ruined my life, ruined me. 

Now all I wanted was my revenge. 

But I couldn't move. I was frozen, my face in the mud, my head in the dirt, waiting, thinking about the blonde haired boy who filled my walking minutes and my sleeping hours. I hated him, and he was all I could ever think about.

~Niall~ 

I knew something was bugging Harry, we were watching Keeping Up with The Kardashians and he hadn't said a single word yet. Was he upset that I had taken his nachos? Because I could make him more if he wanted them. I wanted some more too actually, I was just waiting for him to say something. 

"Niall?" 

"Yeah, Harry?" I said, turning my head towards him and seeing his face. He looked down to his sweatpants, messing with the rope of them. 

"Wh-when..." He trailed off, and took a deep breath, "When exactly did you decide you were gay?" 

"It wasn't really a decision, Harry," I said, my voice quiet as I thought about my first guy crush. "One day, you just... I don't know," 

"Do you like someone right now, Niall?" He said, looking me in the eyes, his green eyes absolutely captivated as to what I would say next. I looked away for a single second, my eyes flashing back to the brown eyes that filled my nightmares, but also made my heart beat with desire. 

"Yeah, Harry, actually I do,"


	7. Chapter 7

~Harry~ 

When I opened my eyes on Tuesday morning I wanted nothing else more than to close them again. As I pulled my feet off the bed and slammed my alarm off, I heard my bedroom door open. 

"Harry, I saw your bike was rusted, so I'm going to take you to band on my way to work," my mom began, but stopped short when she saw me. "Did you just wake up?" 

"No," I wiped my eyes and stood up off the bed. "And I don't need a ride, Louis offered to take me from now on." 

I felt a grin creep onto my face as I picked up a tee shirt out of my drawer. Being able to say what I had just said to my mom gave me a good feeling. Louis said he would be here at 7:15, so I grabbed some shorts and proceeded to my bathroom. My mom followed. 

"Who's Louis? Is he a good kid? I told you not to get into anymore trouble, Harry," She said to me as I shut the bathroom door. I heard her lean on it and continue to question me. I got dressed and splashed some water on my face, which woke me up and gave me the confidence to answer my mom. 

"Louis is a senior, the field commander for band. He brought me home yesterday. He offered to bring me from now on," I pulled my toothbrush out of its holder and applied the toothpaste, and it wasn't until I was finished with that and had opened the door did my mom reply. 

"Is he okay with bringing you home?" She asked me, her frame in the doorway, blocking my exit. I dove under her arm, and deposited my dirty clothes in my bedroom hamper. 

"I may be a burden to you, but not everybody else thinks that," I snapped, and pushed past her down the stairs. I could see the hurt in her eyes, but didn't reply. 

"Harry," Her voice cracked as she followed me down the hall to the kitchen, and I felt guilt form in my stomach. I ignored it, instead turning into the kitchen and pulling out a breakfast bar. "Harry, you know that isn't true," 

Again I didn't reply, and began to pack my lunch, looking out the window every couple seconds to see if Louis' red jeep had pulled up. My mom stood behind me, I could hear her angry sigh and her footsteps as she came up behind me. 

"This boy's name is Louis?" She asked, and I felt my body stiffen. 

"Yes." 

"Is he a nice boy?" 

"Yes." I said, and just as my mind wandered to the feathery haired boy, his jeep pulled into the driveway. I took my lunch and my gym bag, grabbing another granola bar on the way out, and exited the kitchen. My mom called goodbye after me, but I didn't respond, only left. 

The morning was humid, and already very hot, although it was only ten past seven. Louis was early, but for the I was glad. I didn't want to talk to my mom anymore. 

As I walked down the sidewalk to his car, I suddenly became very self conscious. I walk really funny, I realized, and made a quick effort to fix it. I had large feet, and they were really weird. 

I opened the car door and the first thing I saw was Louis' white, large smile. 

"Good morning, Curly!" He said, and I grinned at him. The memories of my discussion with my mom slowly faded and I climbed into the warm seat. 

"You're a little early," I said, pointing at the clock on the car. It had just turned to 7:12. 

"Yeah, I needed to stop for some tea, I hope you don't mind," He put the car into reverse and pulled out of my driveway. He but his lip as he turned around to check for cars, and I decided to mess with him a little. 

"Not at all," I replied, stretching my feet out in his car and setting my arm on the middle section. "You're going to have to buy me something though," 

I smirked at him and he nodded, his eyes not leaving the road and his hands firm on the wheel. "Of course," 

We drove in silence to a strange cafe, and Louis pulled into the drive-thru lane. 

"Yes, can I have a small Yorkshire tea and an iced coffee for my friend over here," He turned to me and raised his eyebrows, his eyes silently asking me if my order was alright. I nodded, and he turned back to the speaker. "That will be all, please," 

He pulled up to the window as the lady instructed, and waited for our drinks. 

"You didn't have to do that actually. I was just kidding." I said, feeling incredibly awkward now. 

"Nah, don't worry about it," The window opened and our drinks were passed through it. Louis paid the cashier and we began to drive to the school. Louis spoke up again after a drink of his tea. "Besides, I might need you to do something for me later, now I have something to use against you," 

He said this quite cheekily, and I noticed an evil hint to his voice. It confused me, but at the same time left me curious. 

"And what might that be?" 

"I guess you will just have to see," 

~ 

Later, I did see exactly what he was talking about. After band, once Mr. Hilton had ran our sets over and over again and I thought my legs were going to break off, once I was sweating so much I could fill a bottle with it, Louis came up behind me. Maybe it was because he was just a field commander, or it was that he was just an energized guy, but he was so pumped, just watching him made me tired. 

"Hope you don't have any plans, Curly, we are headed to freshmen initiation!" 

"But I'm not a freshman," I said. Together Louis and I walked out of the band room. 

"I know that! But it's your first year, so you must be initiated!" 

Outside all the freshmen stood, everyone tired and sweaty. The seniors divided up them into their cars, and we were off. 

Louis assured me the way there that it would be fun. He said it was his initiation that had made him love band as much as he did. 

"Who knows, maybe you will surprise yourself," He peeked out of the corner of his eye at me, and then looked back at the road. We were the only two in his car, so he rolled down the windows and drove down the highway, the wind blowing through our hair. I had to admit it felt nice against my sticky, sweaty skin. It was a short drive, and we pulled up into McDonald's within five minutes. 

Everyone got out of the cars, and gathered around the Beckah's car. 

"Okay, freshmen, we're going to eat here, so everyone head inside, we will tell you what to do in there!" Everyone hustled inside, and I followed closely behind Louis, partly because I didn't know anybody else here, partly because I just liked having him next to me. 

"Now, when you order your food, you must order it by singing." Beckah said once we got inside. "Louis, will you please demonstrate." 

Louis winked at me, and walked up to the counter. I honestly didn't know what to expect. His talking voice was very precise, very enunciated, and polite. What I heard was completely different. 

"Hey there cashier, can I please have a Big Mac and some fries, I'd like no pickles on the Mac and please make sure the fries are extra done. I'd like a frappe too," He sang the order to the tune of Hey There Delilah, and it was just incredible. He had an amazing voice, it was soft and smooth. Precise, like his talking voice, but gentler, like a lullaby. It made a happiness dwell over my body and even in the crowded restaurant, it was all I could hear. 

Everyone clapped, and I smiled at my feet, not knowing what I would do if I looked into Louis' eyes. Beckah gestured to the counter, and asked who would go next. I stepped forward, bravely, and just because I wanted to get it over with. I thought for a second, nothing more and then I opened my mouth. 

"I'd like a burger, and then some fries on the side. Can I have a ranch cup, cause ketchup is not my style. And I'd like a shake, but not chocolate, I'd like vanilla with extra whip. And that's all I'll have for lunch," I finished, and quite proud with myself paid for my meal. I did it to the tune of Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder, and I was pretty pleased. Everyone clapped for me, and I bowed graciously. Maybe band wasn't so horrible after all, I thought. 

~ 

So far, initiation had not gone as I thought. I was having a ball, but I was sticky from the watermelon hat someone had shoved on my head, an egg had been cracked on my shoulder, and I had fallen over so many times it wasn't even funny. But I was having a blast, and spending a lot of time with Louis. 

After I had ordered my meal, he had told me I did a marvelous job, and we had sat by each other to eat. I found out more about him, and I do believe I was developing a soft spot for the guy. 

I was just lying on the grass, my eyes closed shut, when a shadow came over me. 

"Get up, Curly, I need help filling the water balloons," I groaned, but stood up, and followed Louis around the corner of the house, to a small hose. Beckah had volunteered to have initiation at her house, and I felt incredibly sorry for her. Between the egg toss, the watermelon race and the general games, the large backyard was a mess. 

Louis began to fill up the water balloons, and I tied them up. We didn't say anything, but suddenly I felt a wave of cold water come over me. 

"Hey!" I said to Louis, who had taken the hose and sprayed me with it. 

"Sorry, you had watermelon juice in your hair!" He grinned. His cheeks were red, whether from the sun or the heat, I didn't know. His blue orbs shined playfully, so I picked up a ballon out of the container and threw it at him. It hit him square on the head soaking his brown hair and leaving a sparkly glow on his face. 

"Okay, okay, even now, very funny, Harry," He went back over to the hose, and I barely had time to register that he had said my full name before another wave of water hit me. 

"That's it!" I cried, picking up the crate of balloons and running after him. Both of us were barefoot, but I chased him down, throwing balloon after balloon as Louis sprayed me with the house, until we were both drenched head to toe. 

I ran out of balloons, and finally caught up with Louis, who was soaked and panting. 

"You're wet," I said in between breaths, taking the hose out of Louis' hand and setting it on the ground. The water flowed out of it and onto one of Beckah's mom's bushes. I laughed and leaned against the wall next to Louis, who turned to me with an evil glint in his eye. 

"How did you know?" He grinned, and winked at me. I blushed after realizing what I had just said, and looked at the ground. Louis stepped in front of me, and I felt his hand on my chin, as he lifted it up. I met his eyes and my entire bey froze as I looked into them. Blue, like the ocean, like waves that ran over my body and brought me a feeling I never thought I would feel this much. 

"Harry," He whispered, and I felt the distance between us growing shorter and shorter. "You still owe me for that coffee," 

I closed my eyes, and felt Louis' nose brush against mine. I felt his heavy breath on my lips, and soon something warmer. His lips just grazed over mine, his palm resting on my cheek. I felt myself pushing forward, and our lips connecting. 

"Louis!" Someone screamed from around the corner. Louis pulled back, but kept his hand on my cheek. "Hurry with those balloons!" 

I opened my eyes and met Louis'. He pulled away from me, blinked once. Then he bent over and picked up the hose, glancing at me only once before turning away and around the corner.


	8. Chapter 8

~Liam~ One of the few offsets to being an only child was the loneliness. I was always alone, whether in my room playing video games or doing my homework. Yeah, I had a mom and a dad, but I didn't see much of them, usually just hellos and goodbyes as they left and came home from work. Zayn kept me company though, he was over here almost all the time, whether I invited him or not. I grinned to myself as I remembered Zayn getting sprayed with that pop, sitting only a couple days ago in the chair I sat in now. It was Friday, and no matter how much I loved band, I couldn't be more grateful for the week to be over. I wanted to sleep, to be totally honest. I finished by breakfast and stood up, shutting off all the lights in the kitchen. I had packed my lunch the night before, so I just pulled it out of the fridge and headed out the door. The only car left in the garage was mine, so I took the keys of the shelf and hopped in. I stuck the key in the ignition, and my car made a horrid sound. I actually got out of the car to make sure there wasn't a cat in the engine. Nope, no cat. But now I had no car to drive up to band. And it started in ten minutes! Of course, stupid me, I had left myself just enough time to drive up. I was going to be late, and Mr. Hilton would yell at me. I hated getting yelled at, I always felt so stupid. Quickly, I pulled out my phone, and dialed the first person I thought of. "Hullo?" I heard Zayn's deep voice over the speaker in my phone, and I was pleased to hear it only after the first ring. He knew I needed him. "Hey, uh, my car broke down, or there is a cat it in it, I haven't decided which yet, but can you come get me?" "Are you at home?" "Yeah, I didn't even get out of the garage, it's making funny sounds, and I'm stupid for not-" "Liam, it's fine, okay? I'm coming right now, just be ready." I nodded then realized he wasn't here. Then I noticed he had hung up the phone already, so I just snapped shut my phone. I set the keys back on the shelf and went into the living room, where I could wait for Zayn, and watch out the big window for his black Monte Carlo to pull in. I had ten minutes at the most, so I settled on the couch. Something on the side table caught my eye, and I gently picked it up. It was a blue book, with nothing on the front cover. I was confused, as I had never seen it before, and I'd lived here my whole life. When I opened the front cover, I saw a picture of me, and in my mom's curly handwriting was 'Liam James Payne'. I smiled at the picture of me, not even a week old, and was just about to turn the page, when I heard a honk, and saw the black car pull in. I quickly set down the book and grabbed my bag before heading out the front door, and locking it behind me. I ran through the grass, not having time to bother with the sidewalk, and pulled open the door. "You must've hauled ass to get out here this fast," I said, laughing, and turning to Zayn. He was wearing a tank top again, and I noticed his tattoos stretched over his muscular arm. He smiled at me, and I gasped when I noticed it. "Your hair!" I said, reaching my hand up and ruffling it. His blonde streak was gone, and it was straight black again. He laughed, and pushed my arm away, putting the car in reverse and pulling out. "I took it out," He shrugged, not moving his eyes from the road, but grinning. "Well, I like it," "Thank you," He said quietly, and we continued down the road. "You picked a hell of a day to have your car break down," "Oh, yeah, thanks for coming," "No problem. Mr. Hilton will be fine with it, don't worry. This kind of stuff happens all the time." He said, knowing exactly what I was thinking. How did he always know exactly what I was thinking? I didn't reply. "Li, it will be okay," He reached over and patted my leg in a comforting way. I felt goosebumps erupt from my skin under his touch. "Did he..um..say," I gulped, and moved my leg uncomfortably from under his hand. "Did he say anything to you?" Zayn shook his head, and returned his hand to the wheel. We sat in silence the remainder of the ride, and I was pleased when we pulled up to the school, only 15 minutes late for band. "Thanks again," I said, and we walked together to the building. "You've said that about four times already, mate," "Shut up," I pushed him playfully and he laughed. "I wouldn't go pushing me around, I'm your ride home now," He winked at me, and I rolled my eyes, pulling open the door for myself, and walking in. I felt him slap my butt in a joking manner and I turned around to yell at him, when I heard someone snap at me. The band room was like usual, everyone was still heading out to the field, and no one noticed Zayn and I had come in. Except her. "Where were you, Liam?" Danielle came up and gave me a look. I flinched, thinking she would yell at me, but then her expression changed. She threw her arms around me, quite unexpectedly and I hesitated before hugging her back. "I was worried about you," "Sorry, my car wouldn't start," I stepped back, and Danielle stopped hugging me. "Well, how did you get here?" She asked it, but then saw Zayn behind me. "Oh." "I'm going to go get my drum," Zayn said quietly, patting my back and walking towards the percussion. I turned to Dani, and she frowned at me. "What?" "Why didn't you call me?" She crossed her arms and gave me a look of annoyance. "I don't know, I didn't think about it," I said, beginning to walk away from her. She followed behind me like a baby duckling. "But you thought about Zayn?" "What?" I turned around, and I felt myself getting angry. Why was it such a big deal that I had called Zayn? "I don't know, why are you getting so angry at me?" "Why aren't you telling me the truth?" "What do you mean the truth? My car broke down, Zayn came and got me, what more is there to tell?" "You and Zayn-" She cut herself off and looked around the room, where I noticed a lot of people were beginning to pay attention to us. "Look. I'm sorry, never mind." She turned around, and began to walk away. "Hey," I reached for her arm and pulled her back, looking into her eyes. She looked hurt, and though I didn't know why, I knew it was my fault. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry," I pulled her into my arms, and hugged her, rubbing my hand on her arm in a weak attempt to make her feel better. She stayed stiff under my embrace, and squirmed out of my reach after a few seconds. I watched as she walked out the band doors, and headed towards the field. I shook my head, confused, and walked over to my band locker, where a few of my section still lingered. "Hurry to the field guys!" I said, and picked up my trumpet. I noticed Zayn still over by his drum, and walked over there quickly. "Do you wanna take my trumpet?" I asked him, and he nodded. I set his snare on my shoulders as a few of the percussionists greeted me. I made sure Zayn was behind me before heading out the door. We walked in silence, many people passing us, and saying hello as we make our way out. When I looked at Zayn, he was staring at the ground with his eyebrows furrowed together and his face dark. I was wanted to ask him what was wrong, but I said nothing. By now I knew where Zayn's spot was on the field, so I walked out to it and set his drum down. He flashed a grin and thumbs up before handing me my trumpet. "You're an idiot," I said, laughing as I walked away from him and towards my spot. The sun had fully risen now, and I knew the warm weather was coming. ~ "Trumpets, that's not a diagonal!" Mr. Hilton screamed, and I quickly repositioned in an effort to fix the line. "Nice shoulders, Liam!" I smiled at his compliment, and moved to the next drill point, counting out loud for my section. We had worked this whole week on just the first piece of music, and it was coming together nicely. "Okay, guys, great work this week," Mr. Hilton called to us as we all got to the end of the piece. We had marched through the whole first song with no major mistakes, but we still had to play it and march well. "I think I'm gonna let you guys go early, if you can get all these markers picked up!" Everyone yelled thank you, and quickly began to pick up the colorful markers that spotted the field. Each person had a different number that they marked their spot with, and then they knew where they had to go for the next set. I picked up all my numbers, and even found a few of Zayn's, who was S2 for snare two. I handed them to him and picked up his drum again. "Liam!" I heard Dani say, and come up next to me. Zayn picked up my trumpet and began to walk up with some of the other drummers, so I turned to Danielle. "Do you want to go get lunch?" She asked me. She was smiling happily, and seemed to remember nothing about our fight earlier, which I found very odd. "Well, Zayn brought me up here, he's probably going to take me home," I stopped talking when I saw her face, and mentally slapped myself. Stupid idiot, you hurt her again, why are you always hurting people? I was about to apologize when she started laughing. It wasn't a normal laugh though, this was forced, and quite scary coming from such a little person. "He can come with us!" She laughed, and pointed across the field to a petite brunnette who was struggling with a box of flags. "That's Eleanor. She's a sophomore. She asked if Zayn is single. We should totally set them up!" "With her?" I asked, feeling quite odd about this 'Eleanor'. "Yes, they would be adorable!" She began pulling me towards the girl, and as I got closer, I felt stranger and stranger. "Hey, Eleanor! Would you like to go to lunch with me and Liam and his friend Zayn?" The girl's face lit up at the mention of Zayn's name, and she blushed deeply. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I already hated this girl, and I have no idea why. She just looked utterly.... annoying. "Really?!" She squeaked. Dani nodded, and went to go help her with the flags. I shook my head and started for the band field, hoping that Zayn wouldn't hate me too bad for what I was about to make him do. ~ "I want to go home!!!!!" Zayn said, as he drove us down the road and towards the Pizza Palace. "I don't want to go with some stupid sophomore!" "I know, Zayn, I do too, but I need to make it up to Dani. She's been weird lately," "Yeah, I noticed," Zayn snorted. I rose to Danielle's defense. "What do you mean?" I asked. Zayn looked at me and sighed, turning the car and shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know, she's always up in your face all the time. She doesn't trust you with anything, and she always yells at you." I felt my heart sink, and knowing that his words were true, I nodded. "I don't know what I did! She doesn't ever talk to me anymore, unless she is yelling at me, and apparently I'm always doing something wrong." Zayn nodded in understanding, and we pulled up into the pizza place. I opened up the car door and stepped out, just as Danielle's car pulled next to us. Eleanor and her jumped out of the car, and we all walked towards the door. I held to door open for Danielle, and winked at Zayn as Eleanor walked in behind Danielle. "You owe me," He whispered in my ear, his breath ticklish and his tone serious. I put a hand on his back and whispered back. "I know," "Liam." Danielle snapped at me, and I turned to her. Her face was red with anger and her fists were balled up at her sides. "What do you want to get?" "Whatever you want," I shrugged. She turned to the counter, and I came up as she ordered a pizza. I handed the guy a twenty, and we all started for the table. I pulled out the chair, and sat in it, turning as Zayn began to sit down next to me. Danielle came up and set a hand on the chair, and Zayn looked at her. "Oh, um, sorry," he replied, and went over to the other side of the table. He shot me a look and sat down next to Eleanor, scooting his chair as far away as possible while not being obvious. I kicked him under the table, and he yelped. "Be nice," I mouthed, and man, if looks could kill, I would be a dead man. Our pizza soon arrived after some failed small talk, and everyone began to eat. "So, Eleanor, how are you liking band so far?" I asked, trying to see if there was any interest between Zayn and this sophomore. "Ohmygod, you wouldn't believe what happened today!" She started, and I stared in shock as she talked. I couldn't make out a single word she said, and I knew no one else could either, she talked so fast. I felt a nudge under the table, and knowing it was Zayn, ignored it. Soon though, as Eleanor began a long speech about how her flag hit her in the head, and I felt his foot moving slowly up my leg. Goosebumps sprouted from his touch, and I felt my stomach start to squeeze, like my entire body would burst. My hands started to get sweaty, and I couldn't concentrate on Eleanor's words(not that I could before). But why was he making me feel like this? "You know, I think it's about time we get going!" I said, standing up quickly, my chair flying down behind me. I gave Zayn a look and he chuckled, his face blushing red. "Zayn, why don't you take Eleanor home?" Danielle said, standing up next to me and pushing her chair in. I heard an odd... what would I call it.... 'eeeeep' escape from Eleanor's mouth, and I looked at her again. She looked psychotic. "I only have two seats in my car, and I have to take Liam-" "I will take Liam," Danielle said, and wrapped an arm through mine. Zayn shot me a look somewhere between 'I'm going to kill you' and 'Help'. "Eleanor will tell you where she lives. See you Monday, El!" "Bye!" Eleanor waved, and grabbed Zayn's hand, pulling him out the door. I was about to turn to Danielle and ask what her problem was, when she yelled at me. "Don't." She held her hand up, and grabbed my arm, pulling me out the door. She towed me by the arm to her car, and I watched as Zayn pulled out, giving me one last look. I got in the car, and turned to Danielle again. Still she held up her hand. "Not yet." We drove the entire ten minutes home in complete silence, the only sound being the car and the radio, which wasn't even turned up much. When we finally pulled into my house, Danielle turned off the car, and put her hands on her face. It took me a minute to realize she was crying. "Dani, what's wron-" "That was seriously my last hope." "What are you talking about?" "I'm sorry Liam, but I can't be with you anymore. Today was my last shot, and I know it's true now. You're in love with your best friend, not me. It's always been that way, and now I understand that." She turned to me, and I saw genuine hurt in her eyes. But what was she saying, me in love with me best friend? Zayn was my best friend but I..... "Dani, I'm not in love with Zayn!" I said, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Liam, but I'm breaking up with you, I'm not going to continue to be a cover up for you like this." I tried to speak, but she interrupted me. "Please, get out of the car," "Danielle," She didn't reply, and I felt truly hurt as I opened the car door and jumped out. I barely had the door shut before she was pulling out, and I stood dumbfounded on the driveway. She thought I was in love with Zayn? I wasn't, I mean, was I? I walked into the house in a daze, and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, where a text came through from. 'You owe me. Big time.' I fell on the couch in a heap, and my mind wandered to Zayn. His dark hair, his contagious smile, the rare and special laugh he had if you were ever lucky enough to get one out of him. I stared up at the ceiling, and one question bounced off my mind over and over again. Am I in love with my best friend?


	9. Chapter 9

~Niall~ 

If you think waking up Monday morning for school was hard, try waking up for band camp. It was like getting a limb cut off, or waxing your leg hair off. It was painful. 

I groaned loudly, knowing inside that in no way, shape, or form that that would help me not have to get up. Sticking my foot out of the covers to check the temperature of my room, I almost immediately pulled it back in. 

My room was freezing, which I should be grateful for in this time of August. I came out from under the covers and looked at the clock, just as my mother yelled for me. 

"Niall! Hurry, I have to drop you off on my way to work!" 

"I don't want to go!" 

"I don't care, get up!" I groaned and pulled my feet over the side of the bed, wrapping my comforter tighter around my body and standing up. I hobbled over to the door, the blanket wrapped around my head, and slowly slid open the door. My mom walked past, fully dressed for work, and rolled her eyes at me. 

"I'm leaving in fifteen," She said simply, and walked down the hall. I dropped my blanket and dashed across the hall to take a shower. 

I deposited my empty clothes in the hamper and hopped in under the warm water, hoping to hit two birds with one stone and warm up while getting woken up for the day. 

My entire body shook from cold as I hopped out a couple minutes later, and I wanted more than ever to go back to bed. But I had to go to band. 

I pulled on some boxers and clothes, deciding on my white tank top for the day. After a peek outside at the falling rain, I decided on my green snapback. 

It would be an inside day today, that meant the pit instruments up front, and the entire band looking at me. I hated that Mr. Hilton had pushed us up front, not that I would rather be in the back. It was a dark and dangerous place back there. 

I exited my bedroom with a shiver, and it wasn't just from the coldness. Jumping from the second step and landing with a thud, I headed towards the kitchen. 

My mom had cooked breakfast, and I quickly piled up a plate with scrambled eggs and sausage. Yummy. 

I began to eat, and chewed thoughtfully as I looked out the window. From here I could see Harry's house, and watched as a red Jeep pulled in. I do believe that was Louis' car. 

I felt jealousy surge through me, but not for the reasons you would think. Harry was my friend, but as soon as he asked me the other day about liking someone, I knew something was up. Last time he liked someone, it ended horribly for everyone. Especially me. 

"Niall, hurry up!" My mom called from the bottom of the stairs, awakening me from my dark flashbacks. I chuckled and she came around the corner of the kitchen, smiling at me but trying to look stern. "Okay, very funny, Niall. Come on, we are going to be late." 

"I'm not," I stood up and set my plate in the sink, before grabbing my lunch from the fridge. 

"But I am," She grunted, and began walking towards the garage. I followed suit, and hopped in the passenger seat, as we began the drive towards the school. 

"Is this rain ever going to stop?" I questioned, pulling my snapback off and fluffing my hair before setting it back down. "We'll never learn the field stuff if it keeps raining." 

"Oh, you'll do fine," My mom laughed and turned into the school parking lot. I leaned over and kissed her cheek before thanking her and running towards the school through the rain 

"Morning, Niall!" Mia met up with me at the door, and I opened it gentlemanly for her. She curtsied before walking in, and pulling down her sweatshirt hood to reveal a head of bright purple hair. 

"Woah! I could've sworn your hair was pink yesterday!" I laughed, and scuffed my Supras acros the rug to get off any water. Didn't want to trip in front of everybody. 

"I got bored with it," She shrugged and began to skip over to the mallet instruments. I rolled my eyes and followed her, we sat down in front of them and she pulled out yogurt covered pretzels the exact same color as her hair. A couple people walked past us, but there really wasn't anybody here, I was relatively early for me. 

I turned when the door opened and Josh walked in, his hair wet, and the rain gleaming off his arms. Instinctively, I looked away. 

"Everyone settle down, settle down!" Mr. Hilton came out of his office with Louis and Beckah following closely behind. "We are going on a hike, grab your parade stuff!" 

"What?!" Mia said loudly, throwing her hands up in the air. Everyone in the band turned to look at her, which "It's raining!" 

"It will stop in a couple minutes, just get your stuff and go. We have our first parade this weekend!" Mr. Hilton stepped off the pedestal-thingy and walked back towards his office. Mia emptied the rest of the pretzels in her mouth and chomped on them loudly. She then took the wrapper and stuffed it down the front of my shirt. 

"Hehehe," I giggled, and pulled it back out. Did I just giggle? Mia snorted and walked back to get her tuba. 

A hike is normally a long trudge through the woods up trials and through trees and nature and stuff. A band hike is also a long trudge, but through the back streets of the town. It's embarrassing, it's hard, and the cymbals I carry always pull on my arm hair. 

Louis came up to me and handed me a small packet, no bigger than my hand. 

"What's this?" I question him. He pulled on his shirt as if it was obvious and simply replied. 

"Rain jacket." 

I opened it up and realized exactly what a rain jacket was. Those nasty plastic things with the hood and the arm holes. 

"This is so disgusting," Zayn said to one of the other snares, gesturing to the plastic cover. I smiled and pulled the plastic over my head, following after them. At least the plastic covered my arms. My arm hair would be safe from these damn cymbals. 

"Niall!" One of the seniors named Jason called my name and I turned to him. He had a tenor saxophone in his arm. "Mr. Hilton says he wants you in front of the quad. He said your supposed to turn around and march backwards while they play on your cymbals." 

"What?" I exclaimed, gulping, almost dropping my cymbals. Josh was a quad. 

"At measure 35 to measure 52 in the parade song." He continued on, not noticing my panic. "Just turning around and start back marching at 34. You'll need two people so you and one of your other pit guys," 

He nodded and walked away, leaving me with my mouth open as the rain slowly began to subside. 

There were four quads. Josh, Erin, Nick, and Matt. I could only hope not to be stuck with Josh as one of the two people that would have to use my cymbals. 

I told Nathan, the other person who had cymbals, what we had to do, and he just nodded. Didn't he realize how horrible this was? Apparently not. 

Okay, everyone line up already!" Mr. Hilton snapped and everyone got into formation. Trombones at front, I could see Harry looking around confused, his hair dripping with curls. He stuck his tongue out at me and flicked me off with his free hand, before turning around. Louis and Beckah stood in front of them, and I couldn't help but be impressed every year. They back marched the entire parade, I only had to do a couple measures. Behind the trombones was the saxes, then the mellophones, and so on until the lowest instruments, like Mia and the tenor saxophones, like Jason. Everyone pulled off the hoods of their rain coats and lined up, preparing for Mr. Hilton's count off. 

"One. Two. One. Two. Ready, step-off." Mr. Hilton clapped as he talked, and everyone began to march forward as the drummers behind me played their cadence. The cadence is the drum roll stuff that the percussionists play during the time between the songs. I had a couple little parts on the cymbals, and I played them as I went. 

We marched down through the parking lot and past the soccer players who were practicing on the wet field. A couple pointed and laughed, but it didn't phase any of us. We were used to the abuse from our school now, and all of us had just grown accustomed to it. Band wasn't cool, never has been, and probably never will be. 

When it came to measure 30, I began to feel my heart pounding in my chest. I had to turn around soon. Nathan looked to me and I nodded, both of us turning around to allow the quads enough time to prepare to play on our cymbals. 

I came face to face with deep brown eyes. Our spacing must have been horrible, because we were too close together. His eyes were so brown though. 

"Devine!" I heard Mr. Hilton yell, and the band slowly came to a halt. Everyone turned to look at Josh as Mr. Hilton came up to us. I stepped back instinctively. He dropped his head and shot me a look of terror like the ones I usually sent him. 

"What is your problem? You are at least four measures behind, your rhythm is all wrong, and you're not even marching in step! You're a senior, Josh!" Mr. Hilton screamed at him. I saw Josh's chin tremble and immediately felt sorry for him. Josh, however, said nothing in his own defense. Mr. Hilton continued to yell at him. He was really pissed off today. 

"I could expect something like this to happen to a freshman, but not you, Josh! Do you even know what measure we are on?!" Josh shook his head numbly and looked down at his drum. 

"Well, why don't you ask one of your lower class men, I'm sure they know how to read music!" Mr. Hilton walked away, infuriated, and looked at the rest of the band. 

"Mr. Devine here is a perfect example of laziness, and you guys will never get to state if you are all as lazy as he is. I gave you guys one week to get your crap together and you didn't! Now I don't know if it's lazy leadership or lazy followers, but you guys are pathetic!" I glanced over at Josh and he only shot daggers at me, so I quickly looked away. When Mr. Hilton got done yelling at us, I turned around. 

"We were at measure 36." I said kindly, not wanting to sound rude. "I think snares have triplets." 

Josh opened his mouth to speak, but Mr. Hilton started us off again, and everyone marched off from the beginning. I didn't get to hear what he had to say. 

When it came my part to turn around again, I paid special attention to Josh, which was easy seeing as he was right in front of me. He never once looked at his drum, his eyes were clouded and he seemed to be concentrating extra hard. He only looked at me once, and the expression was a mix between being confused and being desperate. After that I began to count out loud, in hope that it would help keep him in time, and overall keep Mr. Hilton from yelling at him again. 

"Circle back around. Head back to the school." I heard the command, and followed the band in a sort of pinwheel effect to turn around. 

The march back to the school seemed relatively short after the march here. The soccer players weren't playing anymore, and the sun was coming out. Mr. Hilton was right, the rain had stopped shortly after we started the hike, and now it was becoming humid. Yuck. 

"You guys are free to go." Mr. Hilton said as we entered the band room. No one spoke as he walked into his office and shut the door behind him. There was quiet as everyone put their instruments away. 

I watched as the pit all left me alone to cover up the mallet instruments. 

"Thanks guys....don't worry about it I'll take care of it....no problem." I said as they all left out the door. I sighed, and put the last cover on. Today was Monday, my mom had work, which meant I had to walk. It wasn't that far technically, but I was disappointed. I was tired. 

I came out of the band room, the last one to leave as usual, and started for the back of the school. If I cut through the park it would be a shorter walk. 

"Niall," I heard someone say, a low and deep voice that I feared. But this wasn't scary, I didn't shake at the sound of his voice like I usually do. He sounded...kind...and soft. I stopped in my tracks, almost turning back around. That's when Josh spoke up again. 

"Thanks." 

"For what?" My voice shook as I asked the question and Josh stepped closer to me. This was how I was going to die. Behind the school, alone. I began to back up, until my back hit the brick wall. 

"You told me the measure number today." I saw his eyes beginning to cloud up, and he stopped in front of me, about a foot in front of me. "I'm not the best at reading music." 

"Okay." I gulped, and glanced over to the parking lot. There weren't any cars there, no one to save me. 

That in itself was a grave mistake, because it was in that one second, that one glance, that Josh stepped closer to me. When I turned back to look at him, our faces were so close I could see the black of his eyes. I closed my eyes, and gently leaned in until I felt our lips touch. I felt Josh stiffen only for a second, until he pressed back. 

My brain started shooting off warnings, and I felt myself start to panic, but Josh was kissing me back. And I liked it. I felt his hand on my cheek and I began moving more furiously against him, both of us pushing more and more against each other. Both of us putting all our energy into this kiss. We both fought for dominance, and I felt myself get more and more excited, wanting more of this boy who had tortured me for so many years. 

I stopped when I remembered that. He had tortured me for so many years, and now I was here kissing him. I pulled back and removed my hand from his face, opening my eyes. I felt a blush creep to my cheek and looked nervously at Josh. 

"Ohmygod." He said, his brown eyes flashing panic before he turned around and ran. I slid down the wall, falling and my butt landing on the ground. It was wet, but I didn't stand up. 

Why did he run? Why did I kiss him? Thoughts like this shot off my brain. And then: Why did he kiss back?


	10. Chapter 10

~Louis~ 

"C'mon, Lottie, get up!" I yelled up the stairs to my sister, who was still asleep in her room, ignoring the fact that we had to leave in five minutes. I had to be at band, and she had cheer camp. 

Lottie was a freshman, but she refused to be in band, despite my constant nagging. She was almost the exact opposite of me, light hair, dark eyes. Popular. She was a cheerleader, and I was in pep band. She was on the volleyball team, I was in marching band. Most people didn't even know we were siblings. 

"You are so grouchy in the morning," She came around the corner, her hair in a high ponytail that slung easily down her back. She was wearing black shorts that said cheer on the bum and she was wearing a random tee shirt. 

"How long have you been up?" I asked, realizing that she had been ignoring my yells, and had been up this whole time. 

"Like an hour. Being this beautiful doesn't just happen," She picked up her cheer bag and started for the door. "Hurry, I'm going to be late." 

I rolled my eyes and pulled my keys off the hook, sliding my phone in my pocket as I went. I unlocked the car, and Lottie climbed into the passenger seat. We started to drive down the road in silence, until we turned down Harry's street. 

"What are you doing?" Lottie asked me, looking up from her phone to see us pulling into Harry's driveway. 

"Climb in the back, I have to pick up Harry," I said, my heart warming to say his full name. It was weird though, very weird 

"What?!" Lottie turned to me, and I pointed out the window as Harry came out of his front door and turned around to lock it. Lottie followed my gaze and turned sharply around to me. 

"You didn't tell me you took Harry to band!" I rolled my eyes and pointed my thumb to the back seat. She glared at me and threw her bag back, climbing back after it. I heard the car door open and Harry slid in, wearing a green shirt and black converse. He smiled at me. 

"Good morning, Curly," I greeted him and he buckled his seatbelt. I put the car in reverse and began to back out of his driveway when I felt someone kicking the back of my seat. 

"Oh, Harry, this is my sister, Lottie," I said, pulling the gear shift back to drive and starting back down Harry's road, where we came from before. 

"Hello, Lottie," Harry smiled at her, his lips curling up at the ends. 

I swallowed as I remembered the taste of those lips under mine, like they had been only a few days ago. We hadn't talked about that kiss, and it haunted me. I didn't know what caused me to do that, or what I was thinking, but I couldn't forget it. I could only hope that Harry hadn't forgotten it either. 

I hear Lottie mutter a hello in the back seat, and realized how awkward the situation actually was. Of course, I was the only one who understood the awkwardness, as the other two were both oblivious in some way. 

Lottie liked Harry, she had had a crush on him for at least a year now. I had kissed Harry, and Harry had no idea that Lottie liked him. Kind of comical, if you ask me. 

I snorted, and Harry looked at me with squinted eyes. I could only notice how the green in his shirt brought out his emerald orbs, and how adorable his eyebrows looked furrowed together like that. I quickly shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts from my brain. 

"What's so funny?" Harry inquired. I shook my head quickly and said never mind, knowing that if I told them I would just embarrass myself and Lottie. Speaking of embarrassing Lottie... 

"Hey, Lots, did you wear your proper spankies for cheer today?" I felt another kick on my seat but ignored it, continuing to pull up to the gym for Lottie to get out. She made no movement to answer me, and opened the door as soon as I put the car in park. 

"Bye, sweetie!" I said obnoxiously, and she shot me a glare before slamming the door and huffing away. 

"Your sister seems....nice," Harry bit his lip, and I smiled at him. 

"You got the nice half of the Tomlinson's, let me tell you that," I laughed, and turned the car wheel. Just around the corner was the entrance to the band room door, so I parked my car and hopped out the door. Harry rushed to come around the side, and fell in step beside me. 

"What do you mean 'I got you'?" He asked me, and I could've sworn I heard a flirty edge to his voice. I looked at him out of the corner of my eyes and quickly shook the thought from my brain. No, Harry is a flirt, but he wouldn't flirt. Especially with me. 

"I mean you got me to drive you," I said, smiling at the ground as we reached the door. I held it open for Harry and he walked in, coughing loudly into his elbow. "Sounds like your getting sick," 

"I actually haven't been feeling very well," Harry turned around as he walked and I looked at his green eyes. He looked tired, and definitely on the edge of getting sick. 

"If you need to go home, just ask, and I will take you, okay?" He nodded and began to walk towards his locker. I smiled as he said hello to a few people of his section, pride swelling up in me. It seems that I have gotten Harry to not only tolerate it, but like it. 

"Field in five, guys! We're running the first piece through and marking the second! Pit stay inside!" Mr. Hilton came out if the office and smiled at me. I could guess(and hope) that he was in a better mood now than earlier this week, during the hike. I was about to exit the band room when I noticed Niall under the mallets, looking incredibly sad. I took the four strides over to him and crouched down, balancing my weight on the balls of my feet. 

"Niall? You okay, buddy?" I hit his knee when I said his name, and my concern only grew as I met his eyes. He quickly tried to cover it up, though, jumping out from under the mallets and nodded furiously. 

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired. Been a long week," He cleared his throat awkwardly and messed with the zipper on his hoodie. I laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled. 

"Well, only two more days left," I shrugged and a slow grin crept to his face. 

"Yeah, I guess," He turned around and began to organize his sticks, and I turned around. I spotted Josh pulling his drums over his shoulder, his noise crinkled up in anger. 

"Joshie Boy! Want me to take your drum down?" I yelled across the room to him. He looked up at me, and shook his head angrily. But not like he was angry at me. Like he was angry at someone else. 

I sighed and began to walk out the band room door, alone, for one of the first times in....ever. I had never been alone at band, even though I had no friends in here I always had someone with me. I felt so naked. 

I walked quickly down to the field, wanting to escape the loneliness and get with people again. Very soon though, I realized the trouble down at the field. 

It took a couple of minutes to register exactly what was happening, but a boy from the trumpet section, Austin, had thrown up. Like on the field. It wasn't pleasant looking or anything, and I knew it wouldn't sit well with the soccer kids if one of us had puked on their field. 

The red-faced boy apologized a couple million times, and Liam walked him up to the band room. I patted Liam's back and smiled at him thankfully as they exited the field. 

Mr. Hilton sighed, and I waited to see what he would do next. 

He did the most surprising thing ever. He began laughing, and I looked up at him, utterly confused. He looked over at the football field, where sprinklers and just erupted from the ground. I felt a smile creep onto my lips as I realized what his plan was. 

"I can't get in any more trouble! Go for it, be back in the room in twenty!" He walked back up to the band room, his clipboard in his hand as he shook his head, grinning. 

Slowly, the band started to understand, but everyone stood frozen. Then, very surprisingly, you heard a loud yell, and someone running out of the crowd. 

Liam's friend, Zayn, began running for the sprinklers, his hands over his head as he ran for the cool water. 

"Wooooooooooooooooooo!!!" He yelled, as he hit the sprinkler, and I watched as the water slowly drenched him. Everyone else began running, and it was completely insane. I began to run too, and stopped when I passed Harry. 

"C'mon, Curly!" I motioned for him to come with me, and added as a side note. "Let's get wet!" 

~ 

Four hours and a long inside practice later, we were all still extremely wet. Everyone was soaked, except the pit percussionists that hadn't gone outside. Although Niall seemed pretty wet from the mind blowing hug his purple haired friend had given him as we entered the band room. 

You could almost see the relief as Mr. Hilton dismissed us, and everyone stood up from their seats, leaving wet butt marks on them. I waited for Harry to put away his trombone before we both headed out to the car. 

"I don't think I've ever had such an odd day at band," I noted, and Harry laughed as we slid into the car. I turned the key and pulled out of the parking lot. 

"Don't we have to get your sister?" Harry asked, and I shook my head. He cleared his throat before asking another question. "Erm..do you have to take her tomorrow?" 

"Well, no, my mom had to bring the twins to swimming lessons this morning, but usually she takes Lottie up, she likes to gossip while Lottie cheers. Why do you ask?" 

"No reason," Harry said, in a way that made me know there was a reason. But I didn't press him to answer me, he seemed very interested in asking questions at the moment. "How many sisters do you have?" 

"Four," I laughed before continuing on. Curious Harry was interesting. "Lottie, Fizzy, Daisy, and Phoebe." 

"All those girls in one house?" He asked, completely bewildered. 

"Yeah, and people wonder why I'm gay," Harry chuckled, and I pulled up to his house, turning towards him to say goodbye. I realized for the first time how extremely soaked he was, and I pointed it out to him. 

"You're wet," 

"How'd you know?" He said, and the words echoed from my mind, the same words I had said to him less than a week ago, when I first kissed him. We were interrupted though. 

"Harry, I've been meaning to talk to you about....that." I looked down, and then back up, meeting his deep green eyes. 

"About what?" He asked, and I felt the space between us getting shorter and shorter. Was he going to kiss me again? 

"About that kiss," I replied. Harry's lips curled up in a grin, and I felt my heart quicken as our faces came closer. Did I want him to kiss me again? 

"What kiss?" He whispered, and it was in that instant I made my decision. Yes, he was going to kiss me again. Yes, I did want him to kiss me again. So I closed the gap between us, and that's exactly what I did.


	11. Chapter 11

~Zayn~ 

When I entered the band room Saturday afternoon, it was more chaotic than usual. Today was our first parade. It was at a fair, in a town almost thirty minutes away, so it was very hectic. 

Everyone was loading their instruments and uniforms on the trailer, and those wretched feathers they make us wear on our hats. I've been in band for three years and I still don't understand what the heck they are called. 

But that was where I headed next, to the cabinet of hat boxes. I went down the hall, and found a familiar butt bent over in the cabinet. 

"Yo," I said, pinching it, and Liam turned around, his cheeks red. I smiled, accomplished by knowing that I had that affect on him, just from a simple pinch. He was wearing a white plain shirt and black shorts, with a snapback and black Supras. 

"Hey," He smiled, reaching down and picking up two boxes, I read my name on one, before turning back to me. "I got your hat, I'll get us a seat if you get my uniform." 

"Go to the back," I slapped his back and he nodded. I quickly went through the uniform bags until I found Liam's and mine, right next to each other, and right where we left them after last year's final show. 

I remember last year's show very distinctly. It was state, and we were all cold. It was raining, but it was so cold it felt like nails down your back. I was shivering, as was the rest of the band. We had performed in the rain, and everyone just wanted to get the superior and go home. Superior was the highest score you could get, and we had gotten it the last eight years in a row. We were all expecting a nine. But it didn't come. I just remember Liam's face just falling. His eyes tearing up because this he had just started to love band. I remember hating that face, and never wanting to see him so sad again. Even later, when we got a picture with he plaque, he looked sad. I hung that picture up on my wall, and I saw it every day before I left for band. It was a reminder to try hard and make sure Liam would be happy, and we would get that superior at state again. 

I passed that plaque as I walked over to get my drum now, the two uniform bags slung over my shoulder. Mr. Hilton came out of the office and said we were leaving in five minutes, so I quickly went to the percussion section to get my stuff. I grabbed my sticks and put them in my mouth, bending down to place my drums on my shoulder, and turned around as quickly as I came. 

"Woah, speedy, slow down there," Louis backed up in an effort to escape my snare, and I smiled good morning to him. Well, as much as I could with my sticks in my mouth. He laughed and coughed, before walking past me and towards the trombone section. I saw him cough another time as I adjusted my drum on my shoulders and hobbled out to the trailer. The drum prohibited me from entering the way everyone else did, because if I lifted my legs to go through the door my knees would bump it. I ended up having to walk up the ramp, also known as the out door, mumbling through apologies to everyone I bumped into. 

"Scuse me....sorry.....oops...." I said as clearly as possible through the sticks in my mouth, until I finally made it up the ramp and into the trailer. "Thank god," 

I hung up Liam's uniform in the trumpet rack, and mine on the percussion rack, and took my sticks out of my mouth, a woody, yucky taste being left behind. I made a disgusted face as I took off my snare put it on the shelf, and stuffing my sticks in the pocket of my shorts. I hopped out the in door, just because I went in the out door and it made sense, and jumped straight into Liam. 

"Jesus Christ, Zayn," He said, steadying me and laughing nervously, that blush from earlier not leaving his cheeks. I must've really given him a fright. 

"Sorry, I should watch where I jump," I winked and he grinned. "Did you get us a seat?" 

"Yeah, second back row on the left, my bag is there. I'll be right back," He quickly walked away and I barely had time to say okay before he was back in the band room. 

I shook my head, but smiled at him. He was always in a hurry for band, and he really loved it a lot. After that night last year, where we got a excellent, the level under superior, we were supposed to go to a party, kind of an end of the band season party. We had gotten there, but I could tell Liam was disappointed, so we ended up just driving to my house and watching films the whole night. I had never seen Liam put so much if himself into something, only to have it ripped out from under him like that, and I hated to see him so upset. 

When he came back in the band bus now though, he plopped down next to him with a grin on his face, a very unnatural and adorable grin. 

Adorable? Did I really just say that, or think that I guess I should say? Yeah, now that I looked at Liam he was adorable, kinda like a little puppy. 

Or your best friend, I pointed out in my mind, and shook the adorable Liam thoughts from my head. 

Mr. Hilton entered the bus and did a quick head count, and I saw him move to the other bus that held the freshman and sophomores, doing the same, before I knew it we were off, headed down the road. Liam pulled his phone from his pocket and tried to hand me an earphone, and I huffed at him. 

"Bitch, please. We're listening to my iPod," I pulled it out of my pocket and handed him an earphone. He rolled his eyes and put it in his ear, and we began the thirty minute bus ride to the fair. 

~ 

"You guys have five minutes to dress!" Mr. Hilton entered the bus and exited as soon within only a couple seconds. I shook Liam awake and he stood up, disoriented for a second before he remembered where we were. We exited the bus and got our stuff together on the grass. 

"Will you get my hat off the bus, I will get your uniform?" Liam nodded and I went into the trailer, grabbing both our uniform bags and my drum. 

Everyone laid their instruments and bags on the grass, and began to get dressed. Liam came back a few minutes later with our hat boxes, and I squinted my eyes at him. 

"Is that my snapback?" I asked him, taking a better look at the hat. He smiled at me and nodded. 

"Yeah, I was waiting for you to ask about it. You left it at my house like a month ago." 

"Oh." I said, scratching my head and trying to remember when I could have possibly left it at Liam's house. He took it off his head and ran a hand over his buzz cut, handing me the hat. 

"Here," He said, trying to give it back. I took it and shook my head, placing it right back on his head. 

"No way, you keep it." I pulled it down over he head and looked him in the eye, smiling. "It looks great on you." 

His face flashed an emotion, an emotion I couldn't comprehend before it was gone. I saw him gulp, and then he smiled. "Thanks." 

I nodded and put on the rest of my uniform, zipping up. I felt someone looking at me at gazed around the grassy area, until I saw Danielle, sitting on the grass. She was in her color guard uniform, and she had her flag in her lap, surrounded by the other color guard girls. She smiled at me, only slightly, and I gave her a nasty look, turning away. 

I never liked her much. When her and Liam started dating she just always came off the wrong way. She never talked to me, and when she did, it was always something bitchy. Then she made me go on a date with that horrid Eleanor girl, and the same day she broke up with Liam. She was smiling at me now. What was with her? 

"Will you zip me up?" Liam asked, and turned around. I looked over at Danielle once more, and she gave me a look I couldn't understand. I took the step closer to Liam and zipped up the back of his uniform. 

"Suck in." I said, and he sucked in, the uniform fitting nicely. 

"Thanks." He said, pulling on his blue and yellow coat. I nodded and went to look over at Danielle again, but she was gone. I pulled on my own coat and turned to Liam again, who was now completely dressed. 

"No problem," 

~ 

"Derek, salute!" Mr. Hilton yelled as we got to the end of the parade. The drummers ended the cadence and Derek continued to play the salute. It was just a five note repeated rhythm played by one of the snares. I would be playing it next year as the senior leader of the snares. But for now, it was just Derek. 

"Hats off." Mr. Hilton said, and I removed my hat, setting it on my drum. I pushed my sticks in the side of the drum and wiped my arm across my sweaty forehead. 

"Okay, Derek, good enough." Everyone stopped and we were back to the place where we got dressed at earlier. I pulled my drum off and ripped off my jacket, immediately losing five pounds and feeling much less sweaty. I stepped out of my suspenders and pulled off my black band shoes. 

"I'll get your bag," Liam said, taking his shoes off and running in his socks to the trailer. I smiled at him as he left, and someone handed me a water bottle. I grabbed an extra for Liam and he came back out a few minutes later with his trumpet case and our uniform bags. I handed him his water and we put away our instruments and the trailer closed. 

"Okay, guys, you have two hours to hang out here at the fair. Be back at the bus at 8." Mr. Hilton shushed us all away and everyone headed towards the gage. I put on my slides with my black socks and Liam placed my snapback on his head and we both headed for the fair. 

"Two hours, eh?" He slapped my arm with the back of his hand. "What are we supposed to do in two hours?" 

I grinned and we headed for the corn dog stand 

~ 

Three corn dogs each, two buckets of fries, two ice cream cones, and hour and a half later, we were both laughing uncontrollably on our way to the Ferris wheel. 

"I think it was the third corn dog that hit me the worst," He said, and I smiled, agreeing with him, and regretting that wretched corn dog. 

We laughed and stood in line for the Ferris wheel, which wasn't that long, and we were in a purple cabin in a minute or two. 

"Purple, my favorite." He said, and climbed in the seat. I slid in the bench opposite of him and the door closed behind us. We started moving slowly upward, and I looked over at Liam. 

He looked....stunning. I felt weird saying that, but he really did. The sun was setting behind him, and there was a shadow cast over his face. He turned to look at me and I noticed fear in his eyes. 

"I think I may be slightly scared of heights." He laughed nervously and I smiled. 

"Really?" I asked and he nodded. "Hey look, the band trailer!!" 

I pointed and he quickly reached for my hand. "Hahaha, very funny, Zayn don't point, you're shaking it," 

"What like this?" I asked jokingly, bouncing my butt a little bit, the cabin responded by swaying back and forth slightly. 

"Zayn, stop." He squeezed my hand tighter, and I stopped the cabin, leaning over as gently as possible to see if Liam was okay, and to not sway the cabin. 

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked him, he shook his head and leaned down. The cabin was so small he had his head lying on my knees, and I laid a hand on his back, rubbing soothingly. 

"It's okay, Li, we are almost to the ground." I said, and he nodded. I felt so bad that I had shook the cabin, he was really scared and I had just made it worse. I rubbed his back and squeezed his hand until we got for he ground, and the man opened the gate, and he stepped out. 

"Are you okay, Li?" I asked. He was still gripping my hand, and his face looked rather green. 

"I think I'm going to be sick," He replied. Suddenly, he let go of my hand, and ran quickly across the path to a garbage can, I ran after him, and he started to throw up. 

I tried not to gag, knowing that it was rude, especially when he was throwing up. I patted his back as he puke, and held his snapback from falling in the garbage. When he finally stopped, he was breathing and sweating, a tear leaking out of his eye. 

"I think you got Austin's sickness," I said, remembering the boy in Liam's section who had thrown up only a coupe days ago. 

"Or it was that third corn dog," He laughed, breathless, and I was glad to hear him laugh, at least he didn't feel that horrible, his sense of humor was still intact. I found my water bottle in my pocket and he took a couple drinks, spitting back into the garbage, and getting rid of the throw up taste from his mouth. 

"It's almost eight, we better get back to the bus," I said, and Liam nodded. I clutched his hand in mine, and he squeezed it as we began to walk back towards the bus. 

I reached over and felt his head, where I could feel a fever growing. He definitely had what Austin had. And Louis had been coughing this morning too, something was definitely spreading through the band right now. 

Liam made it back to the bus in one piece, but barely. We went back to our old seat, and I let him climb in first. 

"Put your head on the window, it will feel good for your fever," He did as I said, and I took of my hoodie, covering him up with it. He had goosebumps all over his arm, but he was still burning up. 

"Don't worry, Li. We will be home soon." I said, sitting down next to him as his slight snores filled the bus. I said here for him when Mr. Hilton called roll, and laid on his shoulder as the bus started for home. Soon I felt my eyelids close getting droopy, and it wasn't long before I was asleep too.


	12. Chapter 12

~Niall~ 

I pinched my nose and dug some eyeball boogers from my eyes as I waited for Mr. Hilton to come out of his office. It was Monday, again. I sat under the marimba and tried not to die, or look over to the percussion side of the room. 

No, I hadn't spoken to Josh since the other day. I didn't know what it was, or if it even really happened. I chuckled silently, thinking about how crazy this whole thing would be if it was just my imagination. But no amount of imagination could make his lips so rough and real though. I hadn't sat at home the whole weekend consumed in my own thoughts just because of some figment of my imagination. It was real, that kiss with Josh. I just don't know if I wanted it to be. 

"And then she was like 'Mia, your hair is going to get ruined if you don't stop coloring it. It'll just fall out one day!'" Mia took a deep breath and continued on, "And I was like 'Mom, if you don't close your legs you're going to get another disease.'" 

"You said that?" I looked at my purple haired friend in shock. I knew Mia and her mom didn't have a good relationship, but that was a little harsh. Mia just raised her shoulders in a 'whatever' way and pulled out a bag of jelly beans. 

"You want one?" She asked. I nodded and dug my hand in the bag, taking a handful. "Jesus Christ, Niall, I said one not the whole bag." 

"Sorry," I chuckled, and popped a few in my mouth. "Yummy, watermelon." 

We heard a door open, and a hush fell over the band room as Mr. Hilton exited his office, Louis and Beckah following closely behind. It had been passed through the band that there was a surprise coming up in the third piece of music we would be practicing this week. Some had said it was a pit percussion solo. I hoped to God it wasn't. 

Mr. Hilton stepped up onto his pedestal and turned towards the band. "Morning guys! I hope you all had a great weekend." There were nods and murmurs through the band, and I lamely stuffed some more jelly beans in my mouth. "As you all probably know, there is an slight change in the plans for the third piece of music. It is a relatively traditional piece of music, and only requires a few skilled hands up here on the pit percussion." 

I felt my cheeks get red as Mr. H turned around, holding out his hands to us. Oh, no. He's going to give us solos. Please, no. 

"So, the older members of the pit percussion will be marching on the field during this piece." 

Suddenly, I forgot how to breathe. 

No, really. The jelly bean in my mouth shot to the back of my throat, and I felt the air getting sucked from my chest. I sat up, coughing and hacking, Mia pounding on my back, until the dark brown jelly bean plopped into my hand. 

"Dude, awesome!" Mia exclaimed, looking at my hand with wide eyes. "What flavor was it?" 

"Root beer." I answered, swallowing the left over spit in my mouth. I shook my head in an effort to rid my mouth of the taste, and took a drink of my water bottle. 

"Anyways," Mr. Hilton shot me a look of worry, and turned back to the band. I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to pay attention to what he was saying. "Niall will play a snare for the third number, Allison will play a quad, and Donald will play the smallest bass drum. Your section leaders are getting your drill charts, so everyone head out to the field. Set right at the end of the second song!" 

I sat in shock for a while, watching as the rest of the band got their instruments and headed out got the field. Mia pulled me up and began slapping my cheeks. 

"Ni, it's just one song," She put her hands on my shoulders and shook me out of my trance. "Maybe it will end up being a good thing," 

"Mia, I can't march, on the field, with a drum, during a song, while playing." My breath came in short gasps, and I thought I was going to pass out. 

Mia whacked me across the face with her hand, pulling me out of my trance. "You are such a drama queen! Just go get your fucking drum, you little fag!" She turned on her heel and walked away to get her tuba, and I frowned. But Mia was right. I was being a drama queen. It was just one song. It was just a snare. It was just Josh Devine's section. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before walking back to the percussion section to get my drum and my drill chart. I didn't even know how to read a drill chart. 

"Here you go, Allison. Donald." Josh handed both of them their charts and turned to me, not even looking me in the eyes. "Here." 

I frowned and watched as Josh pointed to the different drums and sticks we all would use. Not once did he say my name or look at me. 

What did I do? I began to wonder as Zayn helped my settle the drum on my shoulders. Why wouldn't he even look at me? Was I a bad kisser? 

What was I saying, he didn't want me to kiss him. He didn't even want me to look at him. 

"How do you walk with this thing, Josh?" The freshman girl, Allison, asked, trying out her quads. Josh smiled at her, and I felt my blood boil with envy as he showed her how to walk with the drums. 

I turned away when Zayn handed me a pair of sticks, and then I headed out the door. 

"Thanks," I said to him. He nodded, and I headed out the band doors. Mia came up beside me, her tuba now on her shoulders, and slammed a hand down on my drum. 

"If Josh says anything mean to you, come to me, bud okay?" She said to me softly. I nodded, muttering slightly to myself. 

"Don't worry. I don't think he will say anything to me at all." 

~ 

Having a drum straddled in front of your dick wasn't exactly easy to get used to. The shoulder harness hurt, and I kept hitting my knees on the bottom of the drum. I wanted my glockenspiel back. It didn't cause me this much physical pain. 

Most of the practice was over now, and we only had about twenty minutes until band was over for the day. And Josh still hadn't spoken a word to me. 

It was really irritating, and I was just happy the day would soon be over. I was hoping to catch him afterwards and talk to him. I hadn't the slightest idea what about, but I knew I needed to talk to him. 

"Five, six, seven, eight, and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight." Louis and Beckah walked through the field, counting in synch as the rest of us marched, keeping the band in unison. It really helped, especially with this new marching thing. 

"Well done, Niall!" Louis passed me, and I smiled at him. He coughed, and I was reminded of Harry stuck at home, sick too. He would get a kick out of me marching, I couldn't wait to get home and tell him. We finished the piece, and Mr. Hilton clapped his hands with satisfaction. 

"Okay, guys, you all worked hard today, let's call it quits." A cheer rang through the band, and everyone headed back up to the room. This drum seemed to get heavier and heavier the longer I had it on. I wanted to go back to bed. 

I walked up to the field alone, looking for Josh, and still wanting to talk to him. I noticed him passing me, walking very quickly. 

"Josh!" I yelled, trying to run after him. It was hard with a drum, and he seemed much more used to it. "Josh!" 

I watched him slip through the band room doors, and I frowned. "Josh!" 

Soon, I made it to the band room door, out of breath from running. I yelled Josh's name again, but he didn't turn around. He would even look at me. 

"Look at me!!!!!" I screamed across the band room, tears welling in my eyes. Josh turned around finally, and I saw his light brown eyes for the first time since last week. He started to turn away, and the tears spilled over my eyes. "Fucking look at me!!!!" 

A silence fell across the band room, and all eyes turned to me. For the first time ever, I didn't care about any other eyes but his. The brown eyed boy who hated me, but kissed me, ignored me, and made me so angry. 

"Horan!" I heard an authoritative voice behind me, and I turned to see Mr. Hilton, his eyes wide with anger, and his fists clenched at his sides. "My office. Now." 

I turned back around to look at Josh, and he quickly looked away. Tears spilled down my face as he left the band room, and I turned back to Mr. Hilton, preparing to get whatever punishment I had coming for me. 

I didn't even care anymore. Nothing mattered if I didn't matter to Josh.


	13. Chapter 13

~Harry~ 

I sat in my bed Wednesday morning, my mouth hanging open and my head pounding. I hadn't slept a wink I was coughing so bad. My nose felt like it was stuffed with play-doh, and my forehead was burning. I was sick. 

It had only taken a minute for my mom to realize that I was in fact, sick. At first I thought she wouldn't believe me, but the thermometer confirmed it. And the fact that she heard me coughing all night. 

"Mum..." I said quietly, grabbing her wrist as she stood up to leave. "Can you....tell Lou that I won't..... be coming to band today?" 

My mum nodded and went downstairs, leaving me up in my room to rot. My eyelids felt heavy and my head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. I don't remember the last time I felt this sick. Soon I heard the familiar hum of Louis' car engine and I turned over, burying my head into my pillow. 

I wanted to go to band. I wanted to drive in the car with Louis. I wanted to feel his lips again. I don't know what it was between us, but whatever it was, I liked it. 

Of course, Louis couldn't possibly feel the same way. He loved band, he loved being field commander. Could I really be that stupid to think he would be with me, a lousy trombone player, and a sophomore? 

The front door closed again, and I heard steps on the stairs as my mom came up. I turned my head to the door and opened one eye as he door opened. 

"He said he hopes you feel better soon, and to get some rest." My mum smiled small at me, and I blushed slightly. Hopefully she thought it was just the fever. "Anyways, I'm going to work, will you be alright here alone?" 

"Mum, I'm 16 years old," I groaned and she pulled an extra blanket from my closet. 

"I know that, honey." Her voice got quieter as she said this, wrapping the blanket around me and kissing my forehead. "No matter how old you get, Harry, you will always be my baby." 

My mom turned quickly and left the room after that, and I frowned. I turned the other war towards the window, and watched as she pulled out of the driveway, and down the road. I laid flat, staring up at my white, plain ceiling. 

I was a horrible son. I treated my mom like shit, my grades were horrible, my friends even treated my mom like shit. But could you really call them your friends if they act like that? I thought back to band, to the hugging, the laughing, even when the guys touch the other guys' butts. Would I rather have friends who were scared to touch each other in fear of being called bisexual, or friends like Niall, Louis, and that boy Liam who helped me with my back marching the other day? 

Soon, my head was spinning with all the thoughts of band, and the wonderful people I had met there. I fell into unconsciousness, wanting nothing more than a nice long nap. 

~ 

I woke up to a soft knock on my door, and the strong smell of tomato soup. 

"Hello?" I heard a sing-song voice interrupting my slumber. I cracked my eye open ever so slightly, wanting to sleep again, but also wanting to figure out who that voice was. Even thought I think I already knew. 

"Harry, it's me Louis. I'm coming in now, I hope to God you're fully clothed." I smiled, still in that world between dreamland and waking up. I remember it in health as the first stage of the sleep cycle. 

"Aww, you are sleeping." Louis cooed. I shut my eyes again, pretending to sleep, hoping for the older boy to wake me up. "I brought you soup. Niall said tomato was your favorite. Although, I reckon that's actually his favorite, you don't seem like a tomato kind of guy." 

I tried my hardest not to burst out laughing. It was true, Niall's favorite soup was tomato. Mine was chicken noodle. But as long as Louis brought it, I'm sure it tasted delicious. The bed sunk down, and I could tell Louis sat right next to me, on the edge of the bed. 

"I actually opened a can to make this. You should be proud of me. I even added a hint of honey, just to make it a bit sweeter. I know it sounds gross, but my grandma used to do it all the time. It quite helps the taste." 

"Anyway, I'm rambling, sorry. I just had a question to ask you. Saturday night there is this party over at Josh's house, he's one of the seniors. It's kind of like the 'untold freshman initiation', except the freshman aren't allowed. I came over to as if you wanted to come but..... Well, I can see you are asleep. Never mind, I will just as you tomorrow. I do hope you feel better soon. It was such a long and quiet ride today. Lottie wasn't with me, and I just ended up talking to myself the whole time. Like I am right now I suppose. You know you really should hide your key in a bette place, I found it in only a couple of minutes. Oh, and speaking of finding things, I think a couple people have found out about our.....little secret." He said those words in a playful whisper, and my entire body tingled with excitement. Our little secret? 

"Well, I will just text you later then. Niall said he would be coming in a short while to check up on you, I actually drove him home today. We might as well start picking him up more often, he lives so close to you." My heart fell as he said these words. The car rides were my time alone with Louis, I didn't want Niall there. I loved him to death, but still. 

"Although, I do think there is something going on with him. I'm not quite sure, I don't know him particularly well. He got asked to be field commander though, not next year, but the year after that. How exciting will that be for the young lad. Everyone thought he would be in trouble then, but Mr. Hilton actually just wanted to ask him about that." 

"Well, I best be going. Enjoy your soup." I felt him stand up from the weight of the bed and I thought he was gone, until I felt a tickle beside my ear. "And, by the way, you are absolutely horrible at fake sleeping, no matter how cute you look." 

My body erupted into chills, and I bit my tongue, literally clawing at the sheet to keep myself from jumping on Louis, attacking those perfect pink lips. I heard a door shut, and listened as his soft footsteps went down the stairs, the silent purr of his engine as he sped down the road. 

I cracked open my eyes, and looked around the dark room. Had that really happened? Or was it, all just a figment of my imagination, a wonderful dream from my long sleep. I turned to the bedside table and the cup filled with tomato soup was there, so yes, it was real. 

I pulled the covers back and slipped out if bed, finding a random pair of sweatpants on the floor and sliding them on over my boxers. Picking up the soup and starting downstairs, I realized what Louis had just done. 

After band, he had drove out to his house and made soup. For me. He drove all the way back on the other side of town to get to my house, where he dropped off the soup. Then he sat and talked to me for, what, ten minutes? As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I took my hand and slid back the hair beside my ear, touching the place where Louis' breath had hit. It was hot, it was provocative, and it was sexy. 

I walked around the door for the kitchen and opened up the microwave, sliding in the cold soup to heat it up. I leaned up against the counter and bit my lip, thinking of Louis' messy brown hair, how now he styled it upward slightly, in more of a quiff than his old fringe. His curved eyebrows, his cute little nose, his smile, and those gorgeous blue eyes. Yes, whether he knew it or not, Louis Tomlinson was sexy as hell. 

I smirked and went into the closet to grab a drink, hearing my soup beep in the kitchen. 

"Yum, tomato, my favorite." I heard a voice, and I jumped as I walked back into the kitchen. 

"Niall! How did you get into my house?" I yelled at the blonde haired boy who stood in my kitchen. 

"Your key was way too easy to find." Niall snorted, and picked up the soup from the microwave. "Ow! Hot!" 

"Thank you!" I cried, pulling the bowl from his hands and walking over to the couch. I sat down and switched the channel to Keeping up With the Kardashians. 

"Someone is in a good mood." Niall said, plopping down on the opposite chair and shooting me a questioning look. I took a slurp of soup and ignored him, turning back to the TV. "Fine, don't answer. Dick." 

He threw a pillow at me, and I dodged it. "Louis told me you were asked to be field commander." 

"Ah, so that's it, Louis was over here?" He said, wagging his eyebrow. 

"Don't ignore the question, Niall. That's a huge deal." 

He stood up from the couch and came over next to me. "I know, I know." 

He sat down next to me and I threw my arm over his shoulder and kissed his forehead. 

"I'm just scared, that's a lot of people depending on me." 

"I know you want it, Ni." 

"I know I do too. There's a lot of things I want, but I don't think I'm ever going to get." He sighed and dipped his finger in my soup to get some. 

"Here," I said, handing it to him. "I get what you're saying, Ni. Lots of things I want, but some I may never have."


	14. Chapter 14

~Liam~ 

"Can someone please just put me out of my misery!?" I heard a trombone mutter from the side of the field. I smiled, and thought the same thing, not wanting to say it out loud, but knowing that was exactly what the band was all thinking. 

"Trombones, you have been messing up this set since the beginning of the week, and you aren't sitting down until you get it right!" Mr. Hilton threw his hands up in fury and I felt kinda sorry for the guy. It wasn't really a hard set, the trombones just refused to try. 

"Beckah, count off." Mr. Hilton shouted, and Beckah clapped, counting off the beat for the trombones. 

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight," I turned around while she clapped, and saw examined the field. While the trombones fixed their set, we were allowed to do whatever, which most people took as sleeping, or laying out under the sun. It was actually a nice day, with a light mist on the field. The sky was a light grayish blue, and it was cool for a hot August day. I pulled out a couple of my valves and cleaned them on my white tee shirt, bored out of my mind. There were definitely some sections in the band that slacked off. I considered trombones to be one of those sections, the opposite being my section. 

"Bigger steps, Curly!" I heard a voice next to me yell, and I turned to see Louis standing beside me, helping to instruct the trombones from behind. He kicked my stomach with his white converse shoe and greeted me, smiling as usual, "Hello, Liam." 

"Hey, Louis." I replied, smiling up at him. 

"So, there's a party Saturday at Josh's. It's like the 'untold' freshman initiation. Since they get their fun, we decided we should get ours. He told me to invite you." Louis stopped what he was saying and yelled over at the trombone boy, Harry. "You're out of step, Styles!" 

"Josh's house?" I asked, looking over at the brown haired drummer. He was sitting quietly beside his drum clanging his sticks together. He didn't look like a party kinda guy. 

"Yup! Hope to see you there! And don't bring any freshman!" He said, and was gone to help trombones before I had the chance to politely decline. I had nothing against Josh or Louis, but I didn't like parties much. 

I looked over at Zayn, who was trying to hurdle the big bass drum, along with many other drummers. That bass drum was like a tire on a tractor. It was ginormous, and this was the first time it had been brought of storage for years, because there were only a few people strong enough to carry it. Zayn jumped up, his foot got caught on the drum, and he came tumbling down, his face landing flat in the dirt. I cracked a smile as he stood up, brushed off his pants, and looked around. He caught my eye and stuck his tongue out at me, and I just shook my head, grinning down at the grass. He was such a dork. 

He didn't used to be that way, I reminded myself. When I met him in that cheerleader outfit, he was bright red, shaking with fear of having to cheer his order. He was always shy, not very bubbly, until you made it through the surface of him. Once he got comfortable, he was just any other teenage boy. It was adorable. 

"Okay, band, back up!" Mr. Hilton yelled, motioning his hands upward, and pulling me out of my thoughts just as they started. "We are going to run the first three numbers, then we are done for the week!" 

I stood up, beckoning my section to do the same, and we started the fourth piece, my mind wandering to the party and Zayn Malik no more. 

~ 

"Why do I continue to do band?" Zayn asked with a huff as he literally collapsed on my couch. I grinned at his face smushed in pillow, his arms lifeless by his side, hanging off the couch. I laughed, but I couldn't help agree with him, it had been an exhausting week, and we still had one more day. 

"Coke or Pepsi?" I chuckled, entering the kitchen and opening the fridge. 

"What are we freshman girls now?" Zayn yelled from the living room. I picked up two Pepsi's, knowing he would want that, and came back into the living room, confused. He took up the whole couch, so I just sat down on top of him. He groaned. 

"What do you mean?" I asked once he had turned around and laid on his back. I handed him the pop. 

"Safaa and Waliyah were playing it yesterday. They asked me Coke or Pepsi, and apparently it has some kind of meaning behind what kind of guy you like." 

I snorted and opened my can. "So, Coke or Pepsi, Mrs. Malik?" 

"Shut up." He said, pinching my arm. I froze from his touch, and nervously laughed, awaiting his answer. "I chose Pepsi, you know that. It means I like a sweet guy, who has some fizz, or how Waliyah put it, a wild side. Not a lot of bubbles, or in girl terms, drama. They don't complain, don't mess with your mind, or anything. It also means I like dark eyes, apparently." 

"Like yours?" I asked, gulping slightly as I said this. 

"Well, I think Waliyah described it as a lighter brown." I met his, as said before, dark eyes. He gave a crooked smile as we both thought what was unsaid. Light brown. Like mine. 

"Like a terd." He snorted, and I scrunched my nose up, giving him a nasty face. "Get off me, loser." 

I laughed and stood up from the couch. He sat up and I fell back on the couch beside him, throwing my feet on top of his lap, and putting my hands behind me head. I sighed contently, clicking on the television. A game of soccer came on, so we sat in silence for a couple minutes 

After a while, I became curious. I hesitated turning my attention back to Zayn. "So, how does the game work?" 

"Soccer?" 

"No, idiot, Coke or Pepsi." 

"Oh." Zayn took a drink of pop. "Well, there's a series of questions they ask, and then however many you have of whatever one, you get either Coke or Pepsi." 

"I wanna play." I sat up and folded my legs pretzel style, setting my can on the coffee table. Zayn raised an eyebrow at me and I continued. "Come on, please?" 

"You are so stupid." Zayn sat up and set his can next to mine. "Okay, the first question was Michael Bublé or Justin Timberlake?" 

"No fair, that's hard!" Zayn shrugged and took a drink of his pop. "Fine, uh.... Michael Bublé." 

"Chocolate or vanilla?" 

"Is this ice cream or candy?" 

"Ice cream." 

"Chocolate." I said automatically. 

"Oh please, you would've chosen chocolate no matter what it was." Zayn said, shoving my shoulder playfully. I shrugged my shoulders, grinning sheepishly. 

"What can I say, chocolate is my weakness." Zayn smiled. "What's the next question?" 

"Brother or sister?" 

"Brother." 

"Sweet or Sour?" 

"Sweet." 

"Band or Orchestra?" 

"Marching band." I laughed, and Zayn laughed, laying back on the couch. 

"Don't remind me. We still have tomorrow." Zayn breathed, referring to tomorrow's day of band. I returned to my old position, lying my feet in his lap. 

"C'mon, it's just one day, then we can come home and sleep." 

"Are we going to Josh's Saturday?" 

"I don't think...." I started, then remembered what Zayn said. He liked guys with a wild side. Not a lot of drama. Wild side, Liam. I wanted to prove that to Zayn, that I had that wild side. Why exactly, I don't know. "Sure!" 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, why not?" I forced a smile, and Zayn grinned. 

"Cool." I closed my eyes, content that I had made Zayn happy. Zayn watched the rest of the soccer game on the TV, and I was almost asleep when I remembered our game. 

"Hey, you never told me!" 

"Told you what?" 

I opened one eye and peeked at Zayn while he took a drink of his pop. "Is it Coke or Pepsi?" 

"Well, you had three for Coke and one for Pepsi. So Coke." 

"Well," I said, mocking his tone. "What does that mean?" 

"If I remember correctly, it means you like a certain kind, someone original. A little bit of tang, and aftertaste, or romantic. Darker eyes, and generally dark and mysterious. That's your kind of guy." 

I let his words sink in as I closed my eyes, and I don't remember the last thing I said before I slipped into unconsciousness.


	15. Chapter 15

~Louis~ 

I swallowed nervously and pulled on the sleeves of my red, long sleeve shirt before knocking on Harry's door. After the long week at band, I was extremely excited to be able to take him to this party, even if I had to lie to my mom and Lottie to do so. 

It was actually two separate lies. I told my mom I was going to Josh's to spend the night, since she hated Harry and me partying. I told Lottie I was going over to Harry's for a movie night. Two lies made a truth though, because, added together, I was at Josh's with Harry. Which I was. 

"Hi, Louis!" I heard the door open, and looked up from the black Vans Lottie had shoved me into. Harry's mum stood in the doorway, smiling at me. 

"Hello!" She stepped aside and let me into the house. 

"Harry's upstairs." I nodded a thank you and headed up the carpeted steps to Harry's room. The house was exactly as it had been when I was here the other day. Harry's house was bright, open, and very....Harry. 

I rapped the door once with my knuckle and opened the door, peeking into Harry's room. "I hope you are presenta-" 

I stopped when I saw Harry stand up, where before he was bent over picking up clothes. He was wearing black skinny jeans, white converse, and a red plaid shirt. He smiled that crooked grin at me, and I swallowed, looking down at myself. I looked nothing as good as he did. He looked hot. 

"Yes, you definitely are presentable." I said stupidly. Harry smirked and cleared his throat quickly. 

"Yeah, erm, my mom said I have to clean my room before I can leave." He blushed, and my heart skipped a beat at his awkwardness. 

"No problem, I will just wait here," I walked across the room and fell on my back on the bed, watching as Harry continued to clean up the room. 

"I hope you don't mind waiting." Harry said from his closet, where he was hanging up some clothes. I felt myself grin, and stood up from the bed. 

"Harry, don't be ridiculous." I walked into the closet and leaned on the doorway, crossing my arms over my chest, "I can't show up at this party without my date." 

Harry's head shot up, and he blushed an even deeper shade of red. "I'm your date?" 

"Of course, Curly. And I am going to make sure you have the best night of your life. Have you ever been to a marching band party?"

~Zayn~ 

"Okay, take a left, and then right there," Liam pointed out the window to a big, no I take that back, ginormous, white house. "That's Josh's house." 

"It's huge!" 

"It should be!" Liam laughed. "His dad is an anesthesiologist." 

"What's that?" I asked, pulling into a spot and opening the car door. 

"They knock out the patient in surgery and wake 'em up." I gave Liam a quizzing look and he shrugged his shoulders. "They do more than that, but that's all I know of." 

I locked the car door and stuffed my jeans in my pockets, "Well, whatever it is, I'm totally doing it." 

"The schooling costs a ton." 

"Yeah, and you make a ton." Liam laughed as we got closer to the house. The sun had almost completely set, and it cast a nice glow on Liam's face. 

I closed my eyes and shook my head. No, Zayn, stop it. I don't know what was happening to me, but I kept getting these feelings more and more. I don't know what they were, but I wanted them to stop. I think. 

"Don't lose me, okay?" Liam grabbed my arms, and I nodded. He didn't like parties, which confused me to why he came, and we always ended up getting separated. It's not my fault I liked to dance. 

"I need a drink," I breathed as I entered the house. Almost immediately, I spotted a cooler. "You want something?" 

"Just grab me a Red Bull." Liam smiled slightly at me, and I nodded, walking away. I don't know why he hated parties and drinking a much. He just never got enough, in my opinion. 

He came though, I thought as I grabbed our drinks from the cooler. Why did he come? And give in so easily when I asked him about it? 

Was it that stupid game of Coke or Pepsi? Was Liam trying I prove to me that he had a wild side? Why would he try to prove something to me? 

No, he wasn't. He couldn't be. That's impossible. Liam does not like me.

~Niall~ 

"This party is fucking AWEEEEEEEEEEEESOME!" I yelled into my beer bottle. The words echoed and I burped, looking over at a blurred Mia. 

"Niall, you are so fucked up it isn't even funny." I heard her laugh. 

"You know, Mi? You should totally let your natural hair grow in!" I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I love the colors, but really, try it sometime!" 

"Ni-" She started to say. I turned I'm a full circle and looked at the pool. Which was scattered with people, some in swimsuits, but most in clothes. 

"I wanna go swimming." I breathed. Dropping my bottle, I pulled my shirt over my head and started for the pool. I felt someone grab my arm and I looked over my shoulder at Mia. 

"You can barely stand, you are not swimming." 

"Well, excuse you Mrs. Responsible." I reached up and grabbed her face in my hands. "I just want to swim real quick." 

"No." 

"Please?" 

"No!" 

"What the hell is your guys' problems?! First Josh kisses me, then he ignores me, then I get yelled at and then you wouldn't believe it but YOU are being responsible! This world is fucked up man." 

"I'm just trying to pro- wait what did you just say?" 

"I said that the world is fucked up, can I swim now?" 

"No about Josh. He kissed you!?" 

"Hell, yeah! And I kissed that bitch back, damn straight!" 

"Why would Josh kiss you?" She let go of my arm and I saw my chance. I leaped for the pool, and jumped in, throwing my hands over my head as I did. 

I hit the water with my stomach, and I have to admit, it hurt like hell. I stayed underwater for a couple of seconds and came up, breathing in. 

"Niall, get the fuck out of the pool!" 

"Make me!" I said, going under and kicking my way to the other side of the pool. There were many different lights underwater, and I had a hard time keeping my mind straight. 

Josh. Suddenly Josh was in my mind, swimming around. I had to find him. Now, I needed to see him, I had to find him. Josh. 

I quickly doggy-paddled to the ladder and climbed out, by pants sagging low from the weight of the water. 

"Niall, where at you going?" I heard Mia yell from the pool. She had jumped in to get me. 

"I have to find Josh. Gotta find Josh."

~Harry~ 

"Ya know, Harry," Louis yelled in my ear. It was the only way to hear each other out here on the dance floor. "My mom always told me I was a bad dancer. I think you beat me though. You're bloody horrible." 

"And you're bloody sexy." I yelled back in his ear, nipping slightly at his ear lobe. He turned his head sideways so he was totally facing me, and grabbed my head forcefully in his hands. He pulled me closer, and kissed my nose. 

"Get a room!" Someone yelled from beside us. I turned in the direction of the yeller and was about to yell back when Louis grabbed my arm. 

"You know, I think that's actually a really good idea." He yelled in my ear. I turned to look at him, and his eyes sparkled playfully. I nodded and he took my hand, pulling me through the dance floor. He must've been here before, because he walked through the kitchen and to a door. He opened it and I followed him in, waiting for him to turn on the light switch. 

"Lou, I don't think this is a room." I said as his hand left mine. I struggled to see him in the dark closet. 

"I know." I felt hands, hopefully his, on my waist, and he pushed me up against the wall. With my back flat in the wall of the closet, I heard him whisper in my ear. 

"I just need to be as close as possible to you." 

He didn't say anymore before I felt his lips crash into mine. I remember back to the first time I kissed him. Well, almost kissed him at freshman initiation. There his lips were hesitant, barely touching before we got interrupted. Now, there were no interruptions, and I knew to hell I wasn't going to be hesitant. 

His lips were rough against mine, and soft. He tastes like alcohol, but it was extremely addicting. We moved in sync, my hands on his neck, his twirling through my hair. The closet was getting really heated, really fast. 

Louis moaned as my hands reached his bum, and I smiled against his lips. I never knew another person could make me feel this way, let alone a band kid. But Louis wasn't a band kid. He was beautiful. He was sexy. And now, he was all mine. 

"I love you, Lou." I breathed as he kissed down my neck, finding the spot just under my neck, trailing kisses. 

"I love you, too, Curly." He pulled away, and placed his hands on either side of my head face. I set my hand on his stomach, the other one on the growing bulge in my pants, and waited for his lips to connect with mine again.

~Liam~ 

Hours later, I completely forgot why I came. No, I wasn't drunk. I was sipping quietly in the corner on a Red Bull. But I was completely confused. Maybe it was the music, or the many other drunk people, but I knew I had definitely made a mistake. I wanted to go home. 

But to do that, I would have to find Zayn. And I had lost him about three hours ago. 

I turned around from the counter and looked around Josh's house. It was a pretty sweet place, but I wasn't worried about the marble staircase or humongous flat screen. I seriously wanted to go home. I spotted a blonde haired boy walking through the crowd, looking confused and lost. 

"Niall?" I reached for his arm to steady him as he began nervously looking around the house. 

"Niall, are you okay?" 

"Ohmygod, oh my god, I have to go, I have to go right now. Wait, what?" 

"Niall, what's wrong?" Besides the fact that you are completely wasted, I thought to myself. I didn't say it out loud though, I didn't want to hurt his feelings, even if he was drunk. 

"I have to go, I have to go find him. I have to go." Niall walked away quickly before I could stop him. I only hoped he would be okay. And find whoever he was looking for. 

I shook my head and looked around the living room, which had officially become the dance floor. There was some idiot in the middle dancing with one hand over his head, the other on his belt, bucking his hips out like some enraged beast. 

"Liam!" The guy said, and my mouth hung open in shock. 

"Zayn?!" I walked closer to my friend, who looked even more wasted than Niall. 

"Liam, ohmygod you wouldn't believe what happened I was on the couch drinking whatever the fuck this is and then I was like you know how I said I couldn't dance like how many years ago well I realized I am an amazing fucking dancer! Look at this move Harry taught me its called the sprinkler which is an odd name because its more like a spazzing hose look." Zayn did a terrible dance move and I grabbed his wrist mid....sprinkle. 

"Zayn, can we go home?" I asked him, hoping he was sober enough to hear the desperate part of my voice. 

"Dude why would we go home get yourself a drink let go don't let your mind control your life follow your heart ride the roller coaster that is life you don't want to be like 50 years old with wrinkles and look all yucky because you never partied you gotta live while you're young enough to like-" 

"Zayn! You need to go home." 

"Man, you first off, need to stop screaming. Be chill." Zayn burped and opened his mouth to say something else, but looked the other direction, his eyes popping open wide. I followed his gaze, and looked over to see a head of familiar curly hair, and another person, both so extremely close to each other they could be one body. 

"Isn't that David and Danielle like kissing haha that's funny good thing you too are over you know because that would be considered cheating and then you would be all like damn girl we are so through and I'd be like thank god because I've been waiting for you to dump that bitch for SO long and-" 

"Zayn you are drunk!!! Do you even know what you are saying!" I said, trying to pull my eyes away from Danielle and David. Jealousy was pumping in my blood, but it wasn't because of Danielle. Sure I was upset she moved on so fast, but I didn't want Danielle. I guess it was just that I wanted.....somebody. "Can we please just go home?" I pleaded. I saw Zayn's eyes flicker for a second, almost as if he was coming out of his drunken daze. He nodded and blinked his eyes a couple of times. 

Together we headed through the crowd, dodging puke and sliding past some dancers. This was definitely the craziest high school party I had been to. People said band kids were lame, but we certainly had quite a good time together. Maybe too much of a good time for some of us.

~Josh~ 

So far, the party was a disaster. I had drank way too much, I had a horrible headache, my house was nearly ruined, and I hadn't seen Niall yet. 

Not that I was looking for him. Why would I be looking for him? 

I walked out to the pool and looked around. He wasn't out on the patio or in the pool. I already looked around the living room, but there were so many people it was hard to even tell a guy from a girl. 

Okay, so I was looking for him. Where the fuck was that Irish bastard? 

I looked around the house again, when I heard my name being called. 

"Josh!!!!!! Josh Devine! Josh!!!! Josh, it's me, Niall! Josh!" I turned around and faced him, hardly shocked to see him, soaking wet, his hair crazy around his head, and generally being a mess. 

"Josh, I really need to talk to you."


	16. Chapter 16

~Josh~ 

'Ohmygod' was the first thing I muttered when I woke up. I had a blinding headache, and the sun bursting through the window made me go back under the white cover of my bed. I closed my eyes against the, still, bright sun, wanting to sleep for the rest of my life. I had the worst hangover......ever. 

It was a good thing my parents were out of town, I thought as the soft comforter fell n my forehead. I could peacefully sleep in my house alone, at least for a little while. Maybe I would call Louis and ask him to come help me pick up sometime later, my parents were coming home tomorrow morning. 

What did I do last night? I thought to myself, thinking about the party. Everything was confused in my head, and for some reason, I was scared. I stepped out of the bed, hoping for a cold shower, when pain shot up my legs. I almost fell to the ground with the soreness of my ass. What the hell did I do last night? I looked down and realized with shock that I was completely naked. 

"What?" I whispered, wrapping one of the white sheets around my waist and walking slowly into the bathroom. 

"What the hell?" I breathed, turning around and looking at my scratched up back. I ran a hand through my messy hair. I had sex hair. 

I had sex hair, I was naked, and I had scratches all up my back. 

I had had sex with someone last night. 

So, who did I do last night, that was the new question ringing through my ears. I found a pair of my boxers on the floor and pulled them on, the brightness of the bathroom light hurting my eyes. I closed my eyes, trying to think about last night.... 

I was searching for....someone. I found him, I remember that. He started talking to me. Somehow we came up to my room... the music was too loud, I couldn't hear him. I remember blonde hair...blue eyes, crystal blue eyes and... 

"Fuck." I breathed with realization. I walked out of the bathroom and back over to my bed, reaching out my hand, which was shaking greatly. My heart was pounding in my chest, I swear it would beat right out of my chest. I pulled back the covers only slightly and saw exactly what I was expecting to see. 

"Josh, you wouldn't believe this, I slept on the pool table and it was surprisingly comforta-" I turned to see Louis coming through my bedroom door, I gulped as he stopped talking. He looked at me, back at the bed, and then back at me. I hope my face asked for his help. I needed his help. Why, you may ask, did I need his help? 

Because I had made love to Niall Horan last night. 

~ 

"Josh, what the hell did you do last night?" Louis asked me, getting closer to the bed. 

"Niall, apparently." I turned around and showed him my back, where the scratches still sat. 

"Dude, I can't believe you let him top." 

"Louis!" 

"What, sorry, I just like topping a lot better." 

"Well, obviously I didn't care about my position last night, I was bloody drunk!" 

"Pretty drunk if you were to go for Niall." Louis chuckled and scratched his nose as I felt a deep blush go across my cheeks. Louis didn't miss it, unfortunately. "Ohmygod, Josh, are you gay?" 

"I-" 

"Do you like Niall?" 

"I-" 

"Is that why you let him top?" 

"Louis, lose the topping discussion! I was drunk, Niall came up to me, and I wanted some action. I didn't care who it was with. Niall was just a fuck buddy for the night. Nothing more." I bit my lip, hoping Louis wouldn't see through the web of lies I had cast over myself. Louis obviously did. 

"Are you sure about this?" He asked. 

"Yes!" I said, hopefully believable. "Now let's get him dressed and out of here before he wakes up. He cannot remember this," 

"And why not?" 

"He can't remember, Louis, okay?" 

"Fine, then have fun getting him home, because I'm not helping. Do you even know where he lives?" Louis said as he walked out the bedroom door. I realized with a start that I didn't. I needed Louis' help. 

"Lou, wait!" I whisper screamed, hoping Niall wouldn't wake up before I got Louis help. Louis stopped in the hallway, and turned around. 

"I'm not helping with Niall unless you tell me the truth." He crossed his arms and I ran a tired hand through my hair. Why did I get stuck with such a sassy best friend? 

I watched Louis for a couple more seconds, my last hope fading away as he turned around and headed for the stairs. "Fine, Louis, I need your help! I don't know what the hell is happening to me but I can't stop thinking about Niall. All I do is think about him, and at band, all I do is watch him! He is perfect, and he is scared of me because I treat him like shit. I'm scared of loving him and I'm afraid that I might. I need your help, Lou." 

Louis' face slowly spread into a grin, and he shook his head once. "That was all I needed you to say. Let me just get Harry a safe ride home and then I will come help-" 

"Harry? That's perfect, Lou, him and Niall are friends. He can bring Niall home!" 

"Yeah, except for the fact that I drove him here! I'm not giving him my car." 

"Louis, please." I begged. If he didn't help me, I don't know how I would get Niall home, let alone, dressed. Louis shook his head defiantly, then hesitantly groaned. 

"Fine, but you are doing the pants!" Louis said with a huff, walking past me and into the bedroom. I thanked God for giving me such a considerate friend. 

After about ten minutes, we had Niall dressed. He was a remarkably heavy sleeper, and a cute one at that. I silently scolded myself as I admired his sleeping and peaceful features. He wasn't scared like he usually was around me. He was just beautiful. 

Louis gave Harry some excuse to talk Niall home, and after a while he gave in, Niall still soundly sleeping as they pulled out of my long driveway. Apparently, everyone else had already gone home, leaving me a hell of a mess to pick up later today. 

"Okay, Joshie, let's get going." Louis grabbed my car keys from my bed table and we headed downstairs. I had gotten dressed already, but I would've loved to take a shower before we went anywhere. I followed Louis though, down the stairs and out the house, until 

"Where are we going?" 

"To find out if you are gay." 

~ 

"Louis, I don't want to see a counselor." I watched nervously as Louis drove my car down the road, all the worst possible options to where we were going roaming through my head. 

"Who said anything about a counselor?" Louis pulled right abruptly, and my head went slamming into the window. 

"Ow." 

"Sorry." Louis chuckled, and I put a hand on my pounding head as we pulled into a tiny mall development. There was a couple different stores, and Louis pulled up in front of the Starbucks. 

"Starbucks?" I asked him, climbing out of the car. Louis tossed me my keys and I locked the car. 

"Helps with the pain," Louis reached his hand back and rubbed his large butt. 

"Don't remind me," I moaned, walking awkwardly up to the door. Man, if this was what fucking a guy felt like, I would rather stick with girls. Less painful. 

We ordered our coffee and sat down in the outside patio thing. The morning was warm, and the wind blew softly, but I wasn't thinking about that. I was scared to death about the devilish grin Louis had on his face. 

"What are we doing here?" I asked him. He took a long drink of his latte and set it down on the table before answering. 

"I told you, we are going to find out if you are gay." 

"At Starbucks?" 

"Why of course." Louis sat forward in his seat and folded his hands together. "Okay, Josh, did you see the cashier when we ordered our drinks?" 

"Yeah," I thought back to the dark haired girl. "Her hair was long, really pretty and dark. She had bright green eyes, they were extremely pretty. She didn't wear a lot of make-up, but she was gorgeous." 

"Did you also notice she wrote her number on her cup?" Louis snorted, and I widened my eyes. 

"Really?" I looked at the cup, where, sure enough, her name and number were written in curly handwriting. I made a mental note not to throw away my cup. 

"Okay, so you definitely aren't gay." Louis laughed. "Perhaps bisexual?" 

"I thought you always said that bisexual is a lame excuse for gay guys scared to come out?" 

"Oh, it is." Louis smiled, and took another drink of his coffee and looked back at me. "Okay, now look at that boy over there. What do you see?" 

I rolled my eyes, already sick of this game, but answering Louis anyway. "Dark hair, dark eyes-" 

"Do you think he is hot?" 

"Well, I don't know." I looked back at the boy. "I suppose." 

"Okay, so you aren't fully gay." Louis set his drink down and shook his head. "Okay, now I'm going to ask you to do something, but don't get freaked out. 

"Okay..." My voice trailed off, wondering what Louis was talking about. 

"Kiss me." 

"What?!" I almost fell off my chair. It's a good thing I wasn't drinking my hot chocolate or else Louis would be covered in it right now. 

"I said kiss me." 

"Why exactly do I need to kiss you?" I said uncomfortably. Louis rolled his eyes. 

"To see if you're gay." 

"Dude, no. You're my best friend, I'm not kissing you." 

"It's not creepy, and Harry and I aren't official yet, so it's not cheating." 

"It's extremely creepy!" I said, not really giving a crap about Harry. I wasn't kissing my best friend. 

"Fine, I'll make the first move." Louis stood up and walked towards me. I jumped out of my seat and began backing away. 

"No, Louis I am not fucking kissing you." 

"C'mon, just one little peck I'll keep my tongue to myself." 

I almost threw up then and there, thinking about kissing another guy. I wasn't gay. And I sure as hell wasn't kissing Louis. "I'm not kissing you, okay? I don't kiss guys." 

"You kissed Niall." Louis grinned but didn't sit back down in his seat. 

"How did you know about that?" I whispered, thinking back to that kiss with Niall. We were alone, there wasn't even a car in the parking lot. No one could have possibly seen. 

"I didn't, but I do now." A smirk spread across Louis' face and I groaned. "I seriously don't understand you, Joshua." 

"What's that supposed to mean? I asked, getting defensive. We sat back down at the table and Louis looked at me incredulously. 

"You treat the kid like shit, you kiss him, you ignore him, you fuck him, and then this." Louis looked me up and down as he said this and I self-consciously pulled on the hem of my shorts. 

"What the hell do you mean, Louis?" 

"You are scared to admit it." 

"Admit what?" 

"That you're in love," Louis stood up and tossed his cup in the trash and turned back to me, "with Niall Horan." 

I watched as Louis walked back into the Starbucks and ordered something else. I didn't deny what he said. I didn't deny it because I think it was true. 

I hated Niall since the first day he stepped into band. He was so talented, so funny, so carefree. But I loved him. 

And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. Why? Because he hated me. I made his life a living hell for the last two years. I could only hope to God that he didn't remember last night. He didn't deserve me. And I definitely didn't deserve him. 

I joined Louis out in the car, but not before throwing away that cup with the girl's number on it. I wasn't good enough for Niall. But I sure as hell was gone try as hard as I could to be that good. Because Niall deserved an angel. And if that was what I had to be, I would. I needed Niall.


	17. Chapter 17

~Louis~ 

After helping my poor, sad, lovesick friend clean up his messy house, I was dropped off at my house. I waved good night to Josh and hopped out, my hangover from the previous night almost completely gone. 

It had been a crazy night to say the least. Other than that, it was probably one of the greatest nights of my life. Is there anything better than what happened? 

I struggled with my key for a couple of minutes, and walked inside the house. Immediately, I was hit with the strong smell of brownies. Yummy. 

"Morning," I kissed my mum's cheek as I entered the kitchen, and she looked at me incredulously. 

"Morning?!" My mom cried out as I pulled the milk jug from the fridge. "It's nearly 2 in the afternoon!" 

"Has the morning gone by so fast?" I asked, looking at the microwave, where indeed it was 1:55 on the dot. 

"Yes, it has, and you have been gone since nine last night." My mom handed me the spoon she was stirring the brownie mix with and I began to lick it, just like the old times. Mom baked. I ate. "How's Josh?" 

"Bit under the weather this morning," I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the memory of Josh the sheet wrapped around his lower half and his hair messy from his sex. I, of course said nothing of the sort to my mother. 

"Is he sick?" 

"Even worse." My mom rose her eyebrow at me and I took another lick of the chocolate mix. "Love sick." 

"Ah, poor Josh." My mom looked at me, and set down her dish towel. "Boo, Lottie had been looking for you all morning, she seems incredibly upset. You should go see her." 

"Okay," I started up the stairs, wondering what in the world Lottie was worried about. 

"Where the hell have you been!" Lottie said, as I entered my bedroom. Startled, I dropped my phone and jumped backwards. 

"Out?" I asked, completely befuddled. My mum hadn't even asked me where I was, and here was my little sister, with a heated look in her eye. 

"Out with Harry that's what you told me last night!" 

"Dude, why are you getting so mad, I was just out with...a friend." 

"Don't 'dude' me, you simpleton. And don't say Harry is just your friend, I saw the pictures." 

"Pictures?" I asked, my stomach heightening as she said this. "What pictures?" 

"Only the ten million of them posted all last night!" She pulled her phone out of her pocket and began showing me. 

Ten million wasn't just an exaggeration. There were so many pictures of me and Harry last night. Hugging, kissing, touching, grinding. It brought a blush to my cheeks, which only infuriated Lottie more. 

"You know how I felt about Harry." Lottie crossed her arms across her chest and frowned. "Sometimes it sucks having a gay brother." 

I quickly turned on my authoritative older brother voice. "Listen, even if I was- wait.... Did you say felt?" 

Lottie ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. "Well, after seeing those it's really hard to like Harry with anyone else but you." 

I felt my cheeks get hot, and quickly turned away from my younger sister and began putting away the clean clothes on my bed. I couldn't believe she had seen those pictures. Come to think of it, I couldn't even believe there were pictures. Why would someone take pictures of me and Harry? Was it, like Lottie seemed to think, that we were cute together. 

There comes another question. Were Harry and I....together? We had kissed, a lot actually. I knew I had gone crazy for the curly haired sophomore. And he had said he loved me... Was that just a drunk mistake? Because when I said it back, I knew it was much more than a mistake. 

"Hello?!? Earth to lover boy!" Lottie waved her hand in front of my face, pulling me out of my deep thought, rather unfortunately. 

"Sorry, what?" 

"I asked if he was a good kisser!" Lottie sat down on my bed and pulled her knees to her chin, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. 

I was taken completely off guard by the question, and spent a couple of seconds trying to find an appropriate way to answer the question. Was Harry a good kisser? Fuck yeah he was. How he's younger than me, but always takes control. How he leaves me a mess of play-doh in his hands, and I allow him to mold me and shape me into whatever he wants. I didn't relate this particular analogy to my 15 year of sister, instead saying something along the lines of: "He is." 

"You can't just leave me off at 'he is'!!" Lottie said, putting finger quotes around the two words I had previously said. "I need details! Who made the first move? Are you two official or am I going to have to step into this? Where was your first kiss?" 

I rolled off the first two questions, but thought intently on the third. "Well, technicality-wise, our first kiss would've been behind Beckah's shed. But Josh interrupted us, and it was..... I believe in my car." I walked towards the window and pulled back the curtain, expecting to see my red Jeep sitting in its usual spot. I was confused for a moment before I remembered that, of course, I had let Harry take it home along with drunken Niall. 

"Lottie." I grabbed my sister's shoulders and looked her deep into her blue eyes, exactly the same as mine. "I promise that later this week, we will do the girly, immature, freaking out thin about Harry. I will tell you every single detail except anything sexual." After seeing the wide and excited look in her eyes I held my hands up innocently and backed up. "Which by the way, we have done nothing of the sorts! Please, just tell Mum I'm going to Adam's or something, okay. Now leave I have to call Harry." 

I pushed my younger sister towards the door, despite her protests and many dirty suggestions in which to tell Harry, some of which I can't even say aloud. Finally she was out in the hallway, and I quickly dialed Harry's number. He picked up on the second ring. 

"I was wondering when you were going to call me." His deep and sexy tones came over the phone, and I found myself weak at the knees. God, he was so fucking hot. 

"Sorry, babe, I had to help Josh clean up last night." I sat down on my bed and grinned at the pleasure of being able to call him babe. "It got pretty messy." 

"Or so I heard. You called at perfect timing though, I quite literally just got out of the shower." 

"Damn, boy, now you got me with that image in my mind." I grinned even though Harry was clear across town and couldn't see me. 

"Well, if it helps, I'm dressed now." Harry chuckled through the phone, and I felt my heart beating faster and faster in my chest. How could one boy have such a euphoric spell on me? "Did you call about your car, Lou?" 

"Partly." 

"Partly by how much?" I heard Harry's inquiring voice ask over the phone. I bit my lip in pleasure at this conversation. 

"I would say 1/5 about the car." 

"And the rest?" 

"1/5 to ask you a question. Another 3/5 to hear your voice." 

"What's the question?" 

I walked over to the closet and pulled out my navy blue Toms, and held the phone between my ear and shoulder. "Would you like to go somewhere with me tonight?" 

"I would actually." I heard Harry's happy response. "Although, I have your car, so I'm not quite sure how you taking me somewhere is going to work..." 

"Well, how about you come pick me up, and I will be your sexy GPS." 

"Sounds like a plan to me." Harry said. "I don't know where you live though." 

"I live in a magical forest where gumdrops grown on trees and the flowers are like teacups." 

"Haha, very funny." Harry stated sarcastically. I grinned. "Seriously though, where do you live, babe?" 

"How about I meet you at um..... The school?" I bit my lip, hoping Harry wouldn't ask why, and not wanting to tell him why either. 

"The school?" Harry asked. I nodded, and then realized that he wasn't in the room, and I quickly said yes. "Okay, then, I will see you there in like...ten minutes?" 

"Sure. See ya, Curly." 

"Bye, Lou." 

I hung up the phone and sighed contentedly before getting up and getting dressed to take Harry out on our first real date. 

~ 

"Why do I have to come with you, and you get to drive my car?" Lottie said, frustrated. 

I sighed and turned the car into the school parking lot. "Because I need a ride to the school, I don't want you driving because that frightens me, and I can't ask mom to take me or she would know about Harry." 

"How long are you going to keep him a secret?" 

"Until I talk him up enough that mom won't hate him." I bit my lip nervously, hoping tonight would be successful. I would ask Harry to be my boyfriend, I would tell him I loved him, and avoid the mother question as much as possible. 

I don't know how my mom hated him. Well, I guess I do. My mom and I had always thought Harry was a jerk. I admit, I use to not like him that much either. When Lottie had come up to me and told me she liked him, I admit I tried to talk her out of it. But that was before I knew how kind, gentle.....sexy Harry was. I just wish I could show my mom that too, and hopefully she wouldn't hate him anymore. 

"There's your car," Lottie pointed out the window and I nodded. I parked up beside it and turned to my younger sister. 

"Drive home safe," I kissed her cheek, and she smiled at me. 

"Use protection." I chuckled and blushed, hopping out of Lottie's car and coming around the drivers side of my own. 

Harry stepped out of the car, with his long lanky legs, wearing a green beanie and a white tank top. I noticed all his tattoos up his arm and bicep, and licked my lips. He was so hot. I pushed his back up against the car and pressed my lips to his, the same feeling rushing through my veins every time I did so. It was an adrenaline I could only get from Harry, and Harry could only get from me.


	18. Chapter 18

~Zayn~

I blinked and blinked my eyes, in a desperate effort to wake up and get the nasty green boogers from my sleepless eyes. My entire body hurt, a hangover still hung in my head, and I don't even remember Saturday night.

It was like coming back to school after a month long holiday. My eyelids felt like they weighed ten ton, my body even more. I would honestly pay someone to shoot me right now.

It took all the energy I had to hold up my head from falling on the steering wheel and blowing my car horn as loud as it could. I just needed to get to band...then I could sleep for a minute or two.

Finally, I made it to the school, even ten minutes early to band. There were only a few select cars here, Louis, Beckah, and Mr. Hilton. I sighed contentedly and laid my head on my seat, allowing myself only a few minutes to close my eyes...... That's all I needed... just a few minutes more......

"Zayn!" I heard knocking on my window, and woke up, startled. I looked around confused. What- Who was that?

"Zayn!" I turned my head to the side to see a head of curly hair. Not exactly the head of curly hair I wished to see right now.

I opened the door and grabbed my gym bag before climbing out and meeting Danielle outside my door.

"Still a little sleepy, Zayn?" Danielle forced a smile and began walking towards the school. I followed willingly, wanting to be anywhere but with her. She hurt my best friend, and you can't just hurt Liam. He was the kindest person ever, you can't just hurt someone that sweet.

"Yeah, I guess." I frowned and shrugged my shoulders, looking up at the school building. Why did I park so far away?

"I heard you were pretty crazy Saturday night." Danielle shifted her bag to her other shoulder, and again, I just shrugged.

"Yeah, I don't remember much of it, to tell you the truth."

Danielle didn't respond, and we walked closer to the school. I wanted to say something about Liam, but I didn't know what. Luckily, Danielle spoke up.

"Listen, Zayn, this is kind of the first one-on-one conversation I've had with you. I just wanted to apologize."

"For what, for breaking my best friend's heart? I think you're talking to the wrong person." I felt myself getting angry, and my headache began to grow back from where it was now disappearing.

"No, not for that, and I did apologize to Liam. I want to apologize for not seeing."

"Seeing what, Danielle?" I turned on her, and she jumped back in shock. "For breaking up with one of the most perfect people on this entire planet? You realize that Liam is the kindest, most thoughtful, and caring person ever? I've watched Liam fall for so many people, and never once has he gotten what he deserves. He deserves someone so beautiful, and that will treat him like a king. I always knew you were never that person."

"I know it, too, Zayn. At least, I do now." Danielle nodded at me and for a moment I was speechless. What was she talking about? "I'm sorry I never saw it earlier, and I knew I was never the one for Liam. He needs someone that will praise him, love him, as much as you do. He needs you, Zayn. And from what you just said, you need him too."

Danielle smiled at me very slightly and turned on her heel, walking towards the school, and again leaving me completely speechless.

Liam needed me? What was she talking about 'Liam needed me'? And what was with that 'me needing him'? Sure, he was my best friend, but I never thought of him as more than that.... should I?

"Zayn," I turned to see Louis standing by the door, a clipboard in his hands and his foot holding open the door. "Doors closing in about five seconds, mate."

"Right, sorry," I shook the thoughts from my head and met with Louis at the door. I looked back at Louis and asked him what we were doing today.

"It's gonna be a little different," Louis shot me a bright smile, and nodded goodbye before walking up to the director's stand.

I loved the set up of the band room. There was the first row of all trombones, the second row of saxophones and mellophones, and the last row completely trumpets and tubas. Everyone was either playing random parts or talking as we waited for Mr. Hilton to call us to attention.

"Zee," I was setting my bag in my locker when I heard my name, and turned to the sound. Liam was turned around in his seat, his trumpet in his hands and an adorable smile on his face. "Where you been?"

Wait, did I just say Liam had an adorable smile? "I kinda fell asleep in my car," I answered truthfully, and squeezed past my drum to stand behind Liam. "Is that my hat?"

"No, this one is mine," Liam stated, with a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Too bad it's mine now!" I took it off his head and placed it on my own, jumping backwards as I anticipated Liam's reaction.

"Hey!" He stood up and reached for it, a shocked look on his face. I laughed and backed up until I felt the cold wall against my spine. Liam stood in front of me, his eyes deep and angry. I thought about what Danielle said...Should I start thinking of Liam this way? Because I think I was.

"Zayn Javaad Malik. Give me my hat back. Now." Liam's voice was low, and he tried hard to hold back laughter.

"You're beginning to scare me, Liam." I gulped, because in fact, Liam was scaring me. Not this, where he was trying to be scary, but what he was doing to me. He was being angry, he had a slight big of hat hair, and his eyes...my god, he was....hot.

"Good." Liam took the hat from my head and turned away, leaving my heart beating fast and a feeling of emptiness in my stomach. I didn't move from the wall, but allowed myself to recover.

What was my problem? Guys don't like other guys, I mean, not normally. I mean, I don't like other guys, I don't like my best friend.

I'm turning into a girl. Too many emotions, and feelings, and shit. What did Danielle mean, why did she even talk to me?

"Okay, band, we need to begin." I heard a clatter of drum sticks, and turned to that boy, Niall, as his sticks tumbled to the ground. He had been practicing his part, and Mr. Hilton must've scared him. Niall bent over and picked them up, blushing madly.

"As you all noticed, we are not outside today." Mr. Hilton hushed the band again and continued. "I checked the weather, and the rest of this week will be plenty good enough for us to learn the fourth piece of marching. It is a simple song to play, and not very difficult marching."

"So can we go home?" I heard one of the saxophones yell. Everyone stifled a laugh and I cracked a small smile. That would be nice...go home, get some sleep. That would probably help me with this problem.

"No." Mr. Hilton said, completely serious, but a small smile on his face. "I've been thinking, and I decided our bulletin board needs a little bit more than the show schedules. We are going to do a 'Band Most' type of thing."

"It's like the Senior Most's that they put in the hallway for the seniors before graduation." Louis said, stepping forward slightly. "Like Most Likely to Suceed, Best Dressed."

"Yes, thank you Louis." Mr. Hilton smiled at him and Louis nodded. "I've a couple ideas written down today, and I will accept any more ideas you guys happen to have. But, I will need your full cooperation and silence so I can correctly dictate the band member who it will be."

Louis turned on his heel and rolled the white board so it flipped to the other side, where there was a long list of what Mr. Hitlon called 'Band Most'. I saw many different categories, some being the laziest section, frequent potty award, bossiest section leader, and biggest fine owed. I knew this was going to be a fun day of band, a nice way to break in the week, and to spend time with the band kids.

"Okay, Louis and Beckah, take it from here. I have to go see Principal Higgins." Mr. Hilton smiled and jumped off the stand. Louis stepped up, and Beckah took the purple marker from the tray.

"Alright, band, first on our list is most divas." Louis began, and held up his hand once he started. "Now, might I just remind you that Beckah and I are a section, so this is totally a good option."

A laugh ran through the band, and I cracked a smile at Louis, who was in fact a large diva.

"Any nominations, besides Louis?" Beckah asked from the white board, the marker in her hand. The band mutually decided on the clarinets for that category, the only section completely filled with girls, all largely dramatic and crazy. We went through a couple more categories, the trombones being said as the laziest and the trombone boy I met at the party, Harry got most distracted award. It was a very fitting award, and I saw him blush deeply in the corner when Louis wrote his name under that category. A boy in my own section got biggest whiner, and Niall got awarded the best attentiveness. There was a large argument that got fought over the most ignored section, which every seemed to think was them. It was finally decided on the tenor saxophones, which was a very tiny section with only five people all very quiet and ignored.

"Okay, this is just the battery percussionLouis said, looking up from his clipboard and grinning. "Most drumheads broken." {A/N: drumheads are the actual thing you drum on, they break like a lot haha}

"Josh!" There came a roar through the band of Josh's name, and I couldn't help but agree. Josh went a bit too crazy on his drum sometimes. Beckah began to write Josh's name under the category, when Liam spoke up.

"Actually, I think it's Zayn." A couple people turned to look in my and Liam's direction, and I froze, my face heating up almost instantly.

"Zayn?" Louis asked, along with a couple confused people in the band.

"Yeah, I mean, he is always getting head." Liam smiled and itched his nose. A chuckle ran through the band, and I felt my face getting even warmer.

"Really, Zayn getting head?" Louis leaned forward on the director's stand, playing along with Liam's game. What was Liam doing?

"Yeah, you know he's always been really harsh on the heads he gets." Liam turned to look at me, and I shot him an amused look. He was grinning like crazy, being the freakish dork he is.

"Or so I've heard, Liam, have you actually witnessed this first-hand?" Louis shot back the game to embarass Liam, and now it was his turn to get red. Although, I admit, I was beginning to enjoy this conversation.

"Well-um-I.." The before silent room began to laugh, and I rolled my eyes at Liam.

"Is it hot in here or is it just Zayn and Liam?" Beckah bit her lip and another laugh rang through the band room. I looked down at my shoes, smiling and avoiding Liam's eyes, scared of what I would do if I looked at Liam in his dark eyes.

"I think that pretty much wraps up our answer for 'Most Inseparable Band Buddies', too." I heard someone say from the other side of the room. The color guard were sitting on the floor by the tubas, and that was were the voice had come from. I hadn't even realized that they were there. I looked closer and saw Danielle giving me a small smile. I returned the smile and looked back up at Louis.

"I agree with that one hundred percent, Zayn and Liam are the Most Inseperable Band Buddies." There was an agreement throughout the band and Liam smiled a dorky smile at me. I really needed to go home and think about this. I was so confused.

We finished the rest of the 'Band Most' when Mr. Hilton returned and let us eat lunch. Louis yelled for me and Liam, and told us he had to take out picture for our category.

"Smile!" He said, lifting the camera towards us suddenly. I wrapped an arm over Liam's shoulder and we both did thumbs ups, and Louis flashed the camera. "Good one, boys!"

"Hey, Zayn, do you want to come play some FIFA later?" Liam asked as we started eating our lunch. I swallowed the bite of my sandwich and shook my head.

"Sorry, mate, I have some, uh... stuff to do. I'll be right back." I stood up and walked quickly across the band room to where Danielle was eating lunch with her friends. No matter what she did with Liam, I knew I needed her help. I would have to get over our differences and become friends with her to get done what I needed to do. I know I can trust her, too.

"Dani." I whisper-shouted, and gestured her over to me. She excused herself and stood up from her friends, coming gracefully over to me. "I need your help."

"What's wrong, Zayn?" She asked, crossing her arms, confusion filling her features.

I took a deep breath and looked across the room to make sure Liam wasn't looking, then I turned back to Danielle. "I think you're right. I think I'm falling in love with my best friend."


	19. Chapter 19

~Niall~

It was Wednesday. The party was Saturday. I still had a freaking hangover.

I don't really know if it was hangover more than just confusion. But it hurt my head, it messed with my concentration.

That is the reason I walked into band, wanting to be anywhere else but band, where Mr. Hilton wanted me to be field commander, where Louis wanted me to march, and where Josh wanted to help me with absolutely everything.

I had to admit, at first I was scared to be in Josh's section, even if it was for just one short song. But in the last two days he'd been.....almost nice.

It made coming to band a little easier, knowing I wouldn't been tortured by Josh. Instead, he greeted me this morning with a donut. I like donuts.

"Good morning, Niall!" He had said as I threw my bag in my locker and fluffed my hair. "I brought you a donut."

"Um.....a donut?"

"It's jelly-filled." Josh held it up and I took one look at it. Well, I didn't have breakfast. Okay, maybe I had a bagel and some cheese danish, but I walked from my mom's car to the school, I deserved this donut.

"Thanks, Josh." I took the donut and setting my snapback on my head and taking a bit of this new donut.

"You excited for band today?" He walked over to the pit insturuments and tapped at a few notes on the marimba. Normally I would've yelled; I hated when people played my instruments, but Josh was nice enough to give me a donut, and I really didn't see a point in yelling.

"Sure, I guess." I snorted and took another bite of my donut, speaking through a mouthful of jelly. "Just rather be asleep, ya know?"

"Yeah, I'd rather be in bed, too." A smile crept across his lips, but I ignored it, not really thinking twice about the glint in his eyes. "Well, we better get out to the field, Niall."

"Okay," I stuffed the rest of my donut in my mouth and turned to go, but Josh gripped my arm. Fear shot through me as I expected the worst. Was he gonna punch me? Kiss me? Hit me? Hug me?

"Niall, you got a little something..." Josh reached for my face, and I didn't flinch as he took his thumb, wiping it across my chin. Instead I froze in place. I met Josh's warm brown eyes, where there wasn't anger or hatred like I usually saw when he looked at me. This time all I saw was brown, sweet, chocolatey brown.

Those brown eyes didn't leave mine as he took his thumb, where a small dollop of jelly sat, from my chin where he had wiped it. He took the thumb and slowly lifted it to his mouth, licking off the jelly.

I gulped, feeling very sweaty and frustrated all of the sudden. Josh shot me a quick smile and, I could've swore, a wink before walking back over to the back of the room.

I stood dumbfounded as he lifted his quads to his shoulders, his muscles flexing against his shirt sleeves. He left the band room, leaving me wondering what the hell just happened, and why my pants were seeming to be way too tight in the lower area.

"Niall?" I heard a familiar voice from behind me, and I turned around to see Mia, wearing a bright red shirt which said, Band Kicks Ass, but instead of the two S's in ass, there were two treble clefs. "Why the fuck are you redder than a tomato?"

"What? I'm not red." On the contrary, I felt a heat rush to my cheeks. I quickly turned around and headed for the back of the room to retrieve my drum.

"Okay, let me rephrase that." Mia followed me, much to my dislike and whipped me around to face her. "Niall, what the fuck happened to you?"

"Nothing, Mia, I don't know what you are talking about."

"You're such a fuck, Niall." She rolled her eyes and stepped aside as some band members started out to the field. "Do you want to take my tuba down, I'll get your drum?"

"Sure. It's the one marked Niall." I pointed over to it and she, again, rolled her eyes.

"Well it's a good thing you fucking told me that, Niall, I might never have found it." I slapped her arm and she walked back to the room, taking my drum on her shoulders. I did the same with her tuba, and we started out for the field.

"Hey, Niall, guess who I am!" She pulled my sticks from their holster and began to beat on the snare drum, making her voice deep and walking like she had a corn cob up her butt. "Oh, look at me, I'm a big fuck in band. I'm the best fucking drummer this band has, and if anyone tries to beat me, I will fucking kill them."

"What are you doing, Mia?"

"I'm impersonating Josh, can't you tell?"

"Josh?" I asked, thinking back to her impression. That was nothing like Josh, at least this side of Josh I'd seen the last couple days.

"Yeah, Josh, you know? The guy who makes your life a living hell, Josh?"

"He really isn't that bad." I mumbled, looking down at my feet and kicking a stone.

"What?!" Mia stopped and grabbed my arm. "I don't think you seem to realize what I said. Josh makes your life a living hell, Niall. Why are you defending him?"

"He isn't mean at all, Mia. He is actually really nice once you get to know him!" I yelled, angry with Mia, one of the few people I thought I could trust.

"Have you gotten to know him, Niall, like..at all, then?" Mia said. "Because sometimes you think you know a person...but you don't."

She took off my drum and set it down, practically ripping her tuba from my neck, and stomping away.

"Damn, Ni." Harry came up beside me and watched as Mia walked away. "You got one sassy friend."

"Shut up." I frowned. "She's just a little angry, is all."

"About what?"

"Josh."

"Oh, you remembered finally, did you?" Harry laughed as I picked my drum up and began to walk the rest of the way to the field.

"Remembered what?"

"Oh, um, uh...never mind." Harry's eyes widened and he gulped quickly. "I gotta go find Louis, I'll see you later, Ni."

I watched as he walked away, the entire world seeming backwards today. Mia was mad at me, Josh was nice to me, and Harry was just....odd.

I walked out to the field, alone, I might add, and pulled out my drill sheets from my pocket. These things were confusing, with different numbers and counts and names and directions. I barely knew my left and right without writing it on my hand, how was I supposed to march and play and do...everything.

"Niall, how you doing, pal?" Liam came up and patted my shoulder, as I stared confused at the colored drill sheet.

"Confused, to say the least." I smiled, and Liam chuckled, taking my drill chart from my hands and looking it up and down.

"Okay, so at the beginning of the piece, you are on the forty yard line, right field, fifteen steps in and three towards the thirty."

"So......"

"So, you are over on the right field, at the forty yard line, count off fifteen steps and then turn in towards midfield, then count three."

"Okay, simple enough." I smiled and thanked Liam, following his instructions and walking towards the forty yard line.

I counted ahead about 10 steps in and stopped nearly ontop of a body. Josh.

"Sorry Josh, just marking off my spot." Josh was laying in the grass, and had his arms propped up behind his head.

"Well, I'm guessing you're pretty close, Niall, because this is my spot. Snares and quads are usually beside each other."

"Oh, well that's good." I walked over him, counting myself to my spot, and plopping onto the grass. I still had a good five minutes before Mr. Hilton called us to attention.

I looked around the field, at everyone in band, until my eyes met Mia's from across the field. She shot me a nasty look and turned away, and I frowned.

She thought Josh was mean. She thought he was going to hurt me, but I knew he wasn't. I don't know what happened to make him act this way, but I knew he was different. Had I gotten to talk to him at the party Saturday? Had I said something to make him nice, or what?

What happened between us, if anything? Is there an us, or was there a reasoning behind Josh's newfound love for me. I didn't know.

Everything from Saturday night was a blurry, drunken daze. What was Harry talking about me 'remembering'? What happened Saturday night?

I needed to find out, whether from Josh or Harry I didn't yet know.

　

　


	20. Chapter 20

~Harry~

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.

The voice in my head was going crazy, reminding me to keep my chin up, roll my feet, stay in step, face my shoulders to the front, and breathe. Breathe, Harry.

"Horns up in 1," My section leader said quietly, enough for our small circle to hear as we marched on the field.

"2," My heart was pounding in perfect sync with the drums as they started the beginning song.

"3," I lifted my horn to my mouth, and felt the cool mouthpiece hit my lips. A cold feeling came over my legs, and I reached forward, where a black piece of fabric hung from my trombone.

"What the hell?" I stopped marching, as did everyone else, and set down my trombone, pulling off the black fabric.

"Harry, your pants!!!" I looked down to where my pants were, or were they should've been. My bare legs were now visible, and my tighty-whities in plain view.

My pants came off when I pulled up my trombone! I looked around at my section, confusion in all of their faces. When I turned in the other direction, a color guard girl came in front of us, twirling in a circle and throwing her flag in the air. It went up, it came back down, and as it hit, I noticed the girl wasn't a girl at all.

"Niall?!" I yelled, looking at my blonde-haired friend. "What're you doing....in a dress?"

"I'm in color guard, Harry!!" He kicked his leg up awkwardly and picked his flag back up.

"No, you're not!"

"You're sleeping, Harry! Wake up!" He took his flag and started hitting it on my head. "Wake up! Wake up!"

I woke suddenly on the bus, Niall shaking my shoulder with a concerned look on his face. "Harry, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah just a bad dream." I whipped my hair from my forehead and wiped my eyes sleepily.

"You were mumbling a lot, Harry."

"What was I saying?" I asked, sitting up straighter on the uncomfortable bus seats and taking a drink from my water bottle.

"Something about not wearing tighty-whities?" Niall smiled and bit his lip, and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't wear tighty-whities." I crossed my arms and laid my head on the window, looking out at the road.

"Someone seems a little grouchy." Niall stated, and I closed my eyes.

 

"Nervous." I replied quietly, hoping my friend would understand and not make fun of me. It was the truth though. Waking up this morning, I was in a cold sweat. My mom said it was a nervous sweat, and I couldn't help but agree with her. I was scared for this band show.

"I remember my first band show," Niall nodded. "I was scared too. Petrified, actually. I was right in front of everyone, where anyone could see me mess up."

"What did you do?"

"What do you mean 'what did I do'? I played. I hit myself in the face with my stick. I laughed it off."

"Really? That's it?" I smiled at Niall's story, imagining him doing as he said. It made me feel a little better about being nervous.

"Basically." Niall pulled a granola bar from his bag and opened it. How much food did he keep at hand like that? "Everyone gets nervous the first time around, but after that it's easy."

I turned back to the window, my nerves a little more settled than before. I could see the school getting closer, which meant it was almost time for the show. Bands were already on the field, marching and performing their shows. I gulped.

"Harry, I need to talk to you about Saturday night-"

"Right hands, everybody, hold out your right hands!" Said a woman coming onto the bus, interupting Niall. She was wearing a red sweatshirt that said Jefferson Marching Band. As she passed, I held out my right hand, and she wrote 'JMB' on it.

"What's this for?" I asked Niall, who had an identical mark on his hand.

"So we can get in and out of the stadium after we play." He threw his bag over his shoulder and grabbed his shoes, ready to exit the bus.

"Where's Louis?" I turned to Niall, and looked around the bus. Louis had picked me up for the show and brought me to the school....and I hadn't seen him since. Kind of odd, but then again I had slept the entire way here.

"Beckah is on this bus, so I suppose that Louis is on the other one." Niall grinned and bit his lip, not looking me in the eyes.

"What's so funny?" I asked as we began to exit the bus. Niall turned around and punched me in the arm playfully.

"Aw, c'mon, Harry. The whole band knows about Larry."

"Larry?" I asked incredously as I hopped to the ground.

"That's the name made for you two. I don't really know who came up with it, but I find it quite comical."

I felt my cheeks grow red at the name for Louis and I. Larry. I liked it.

"So," I cleared my throat, hoping Niall didn't see my red cheeks. "Where are we going now?"

"Practice field." I looked to where Niall was pointing, and there was the before-said practice field.

"What do we do there?"

"Fundamentals, marching excercises, stretches."

"Like what we do every morning before we practice?"

"Yeah, just like that."

We walked the rest of the way to the practice field, and lined up by section. I purposely stood at the end of the line so I could watch everyone else and make sure I was right in what I was doing.

"Okay, guys, make a square. Back march eight, left eight, right eight, and then forward. If this works, you guys should be right back where you started." Mr. Hilton said. "Louis, call them to attention."

"Band, ten hut!" I jumped as I heard Louis' yell echo right in my ear. I turned to look at Louis, who stood next to me.

"Mark time, mark." Louis winked at me and for a second I forgot how to march. So badly, in fact, that my section leader, Anthony, who stood in front of me, came crashing into my chest.

"Hey!"

"Harry, get with the program!"

"C'mon, guys!"

My entire section crashed into each other, and everyone fell over. I managed to jump out of the way and found myself having a hard time to hide my smile. You got to admit, it was pretty comical.

"Harry, we have a show in less than an hour!" Mr. Hilton stopped the band, and my cheeks flushed red. It was difficult to look ashamed while I was laughing though, and the entire band was watching me, which made it ten times more difficult. "Get your head on straight."

"Sorry, Mr. H, I think he's a little bit distracted!" Louis yelled over to Mr. Hilton. He threw his hand over my shoulder and my smile and blush deepened. I pretended to itch my nose and hid my grin, and Louis continued to make excuses for me.

"Well, then get him focused!" Mr. Hilton yelled, and turned to Beckah. "Count 'em off."

After my section got in a line again, and a small smile from Louis, I heard Beckah clap and count us off. "Mark time, mark."

I lifted my foot and began to do what Mr. Hilton had said. Eight steps forward, eight steps left, eight steps right, and eight steps forward.

"Damn, Curly." I felt Louis' breath in my ear as we came to a halt, and the hair on my neck stood on end. "Can I practice my double tonguing on you?"

I gulped as Beckah began to count us off, not knowing what my directions were, but following the band as we marched. Once we stopped again, I felt the hot breath again. "It's too bad you're not a tuba, Harry. I heard that they like to get down low."

"Is this your lame excuse to try to turn me on?" I said, not turning towards Louis, but staring dead ahead, my heart beating loudly.

"Is it working?"

"Yes."

"One second, love." Louis kissed my cheek lightly, so lightly I swear it wasn't even there. "Mr. Hilton! Harry has to use the little trombone's room, I'm going to show him where it is!"

"Okay, Louis, just go back to the trailer when you're done." Mr. Hilton nodded, and Louis grinned at me before walking slowly away from the field. We walked quickly away from the practice field and turned a corner, and that's when it hit.

Or, when I hit, would be the more correct term. Louis pushed me roughly against a bus, and I felt the cool wall of it against my back. Almost immediatley, I felt his lips on mine, very rough, very desperate. He tasted like green apple, and it made my heart pound. I reached up and wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling myself as close as I possibly could to him. His lips pressed hard against mine, and his fingers flew up and down my chest, making goosebumps erupt over my entire body, and causing my pants to get a little tight.

"Fuck, I wonder what you're like in bed, Harry." Louis gasped, and I grinned as our lips met again. It was crazy to think that I met Lou only four weeks ago, and now here we were. It was something you only read about in books, or see in the movies.

"Lou," I said quickly, unfortunately remembering our show in only about ten minutes. "Lou, we got a show to do."

"Aw, come on, Harry, you can't leave me like this." He pulled away only slightly, his breath still hot on my face and his fingers still curled in my hair.

"Later, baby." I kissed his nose softly and smiled at him. "You can blow my boner anytime, Lou."

"Did I really get you hard, Curly?"

"No." I lied, biting my lip as my cheeks flushed red.

"Ah, dirty marching band jokes are so fun." Louis gave me one last kiss and stepped back. "You have to get dressed, love."

I smiled and took Louis' hand as he led me back to the trailer. I'd have to say that my first show went pretty well. I marched well, I sounded better, and I played strong. What can I say, though?

I was just a little bit horny.


	21. Chapter 21

~Liam~

After what felt like years and years of band camp, we had finally gotten to the shows. This, in my opinion, was the best part of band. Taking the weeks of practice and showing it to everyone, that band, in fact, was awesome.

It was always hard to be in band. It wasn't exactly the coolest thing in the school. I mean, we wear feathers on our hats, we're basically asking to be made fun of. But at the shows, even though none of the school came, I felt like we made a difference, and we weren't just marching around like crazy people.

Another thing I liked about band shows was getting to different schools. Everyone here was band nerds. There was no other reason to be here if you weren't one. The greatest part of the shows was awards, when you were surrounded by each other. This show in particular was special because I got to come see my cousin, Andy. We were farther away than usual from our school, and we had never gone out this far before, but this was Andy's school, so I got to see his band perform, and he got to see mine.

I had been texting Andy nonstop all afternoon, the whole bus ride here, and while we were at the practice field. I had even gotten yelled at by Beckah, and quickly put my phone away after that.

"Who're you texting, Li?"

"No one," I answered Zayn, wanting to keep Andy a surprise for him. I knew that my favorite cousin and my best friend would get along great, but I hadn't told either of them about the other one.

I looked up at Zayn, who was giving me a look. Was it hurt? Confusion? I couldn't tell. "What's wrong, Z?"

"Nothing," He gulped and looked down at his jacket, buttoning it up, and then cursing quietly as he forgot something. "Shit, I forgot my drum."

"Can you grab my trumpet?" I asked him as I bent over my uniform bag and began to throw my street shoes in it. "Second shelf-"

"Third one over, I know." Zayn gave a small smile and turned on his heel, and I chuckled quietly. Zayn disappeared into the trailer as the rest of the band cleared out and scattered around the lawn. I always felt terrible at band shows because we parked behind the bleachers, always in someone's back yard to get dressed.

As I waited for Zayn to return with his drum and my trumpet, I loaded back his uniform bag. He wore his Nike slides to shows, so I stuffed them in his bag, along with his big hooded sweatshirt and the sweatpants he wore over his shorts. They smelled like Zayn.

Speaking of Zayn, I thought, turning in a full circle. Where was he? How long had he been in the trailer? My mind began wondering in all different directions thinking of what had happened. Had he gotten lost? Kidnapped? Stuck under the tire?

I made my way through the crowd of band students to the trailer, and opened the door. The lights were on, and Zayn stood looking at a shelf, his drum on his chest and my trumpet in his hand. What was he doing?

I walked closer to him, and looked at his face. He hadn't even noticed my arrival. "Zayn?"

"Hmm?" He turned towards me and even in the darkly lit trailer, I saw him blush. "Sorry, lost in thought, I guess."

"About what?" I laughed, and reached for my trumpet out of his hand.

"Just time. We're juniors, Li. We only have one more year of band after this, and then we graduate." His eyes bore into mine, and as I grasped my trumpet my fingers brushed so lightly against his, it was like they weren't even there. "We don't have much time, Li for...."

His voice trailed off, and I didn't know what he wanted to say because my phone went off. I smiled apologetically at him and pulled my phone out. It was Andy.

"Andy, hey!" I smiled into the phone and turned slightly towards the door to get a little better service.

"Hey, Liam, I convinced my director to let us in the stands to watch your guys' show!" I heard the excited reply, along with some muffled voices in the back. "We go on last, so I won't be able to see you until after the awards, but I will try to catch you guys before your bus leaves."

"Sounds great, Andy. Can't wait to see you, but I got to go, now, get dressed for the show!"

"Good luck, buddy!" He said before telling me goodbye and hanging up the phone. I turned back around to Zayn, only to find that he wasn't there, and that the out door of the trailer was flung open.

Where did the doofus go now? I thought as I hopped out the door, walking back over to our uniform bags and instruments. My eyes opened wide when I saw Danielle there, her hand on Zayn's arm and a soothing look in her face. What was Zayn doing with Danielle? I felt something strange surge through me, a feeling I couldn't quite put into place.

When Danielle caught my eye, hers widened and she said something quickly to Zayn, and walked away.

"What'd Danielle want?" I asked Zayn, who handed me my trumpet and lifted his drum to his harness.

"Nothing, nothing..." Zayn mumbled again, and pulled his hat over his hair. "We better get lined up."

He shot me a small smile and turned away, where the band was beginning to line up and prepare for the show.

As I pulled my hat on and walked towards my line, I caught Danielle's eye once more, and she shot me a small smile. I couldn't help but wonder why she was talking to Zayn, and what in the world they were talking about.

It filled my thoughts throughout the show, and I was grateful for the weeks of band camp to drill the...drill in my brain so deeply that I knew it. It wasn't until the very end of the show that I realized the show was over, and I hadn't paid attention at all.

"Good job, guys!" Mr. Hilton said to us as we gathered around the trailer. "Get changed and find a spot in the bleachers for awards. I better hear you guys screaming from the directors' seats!"

"BYE, MR. HILTON!" The band screamed and I couldn't help but smile. I began to pull off my uniform and my shoes, when I heard a voice behind me.

"Liam!" I turned to see my cousin Andy behind me, with a couple of his friends. They all wore marching band shirts with their school on them.

"Hey, Andy!" I opened my arms and gave my cousin a big hug. "I thought you couldn't come until after awards!"

"I snuck away for a while, but we have to be back in a couple minutes." He shoved his hands in his pocket and looked around. "You guys did great!"

"Thanks, I can't wait to see your guys' show!" I turned to look around the lawn when I spotted, again, Zayn and Danielle over by the trailer. This time it was Zayn who caught my eye and I smiled at him. I wanted him to come over and meet Andy. Zayn looked over at my cousin, then back at me, and turned away. Was that jealousy in his eyes? Why would Zayn be jealous....of another guy? Especially my cousin?

"Andy, I want you to meet my friend, Zayn, he's just over there." I pointed over at Danielle and Zayn and waved. Danielle smiled and pushed Zayn towards us, but Zayn resisted. What the heck was going on?

"Sorry, mate, but we gotta go dress, there's only a couple more bands until us and then awards. I suggest you get up to the bleachers!" He pulled me back into a hug and left, and I smiled.

"See ya, Andy!" I waved and him and his friends began to head back to their school.

I turned to see Zayn disappear into the trailer, and I frowned. What was up with him? Why was he ignoring me, and talking to Danielle?

"Zayn!" I yelled, entering the trailer. "Where are you, mate?"

"Back here," I heard a mumble from the drum section of the trailer. "Although I doubt you actually care."

"What are you talking about, Z?" I followed his voice, talking to midair, because I actually didn't see him anywhere.

"Just go back with your stupid friend, Liam. Anthony, or whatever his name was." I conitnued to follow his voice, my heart crumbling as I heard how hurt my friend was. What did I do to make him like this?

"You mean Andy?" I asked as I searched through all the drums for him.

"Yes, Andy, that guy you hugged about forty times. Andy." His voice had moved now, behind me a little ways. Was he avoiding me?

"Zayn, Andy is my cousin." I came around the corner, and that was where I found him. Behind the trombones, his arms crossed over his chest. The light was broken in this part of the trailer and he looked....radiant. I blinked my eyes a couple of times trying to forget about what I just thought, but I couldn't get over Zayn. He looked beautiful.

"Oh." Zayn began to move forward, and I reached out, grabbing his arms and pushing him lightly back up against the wall, determined to find out what was wrong with him.

"Z...." I trailed off and looked into his eyes, hoping for a clear answer. "Were you jealous?"

Zayn blushed and began to stutter and I smiled. "No, Liam, I wasn't jealous-"

"Why are you jealous, Zayn?" I asked him before adding. "Why are you talking to Danielle?"

"Because, Liam, okay!?" Zayn pushed me away from him angrily and I jumped back hurt. "Danielle is being a friend to me right now when you aren't!"

"What did I do wrong, Z?" I began to walk towards him, and it was as if I was walking on broken glass, trying to figure out what I did without breaking it anymore than I could.

"Nothing, Liam, just please." He turned and began to head out the trailer door. "Please, just leave me alone."

Those last words were some of the hardest I had ever heard my best friend say. I could understand he was mad, but for me to just leave him alone..... I couldn't do that.

"Dani," I saw her putting the flags in the trailer, and grabbed her arm. She looked up at me and smiled. "I need your help with Zayn."


	22. Chapter 22

~Josh~

I walked into the band room Saturday, the third consecutive Saturday in a row where we had a band show, and smiled. The organization, the happiness, and just band generally made me smile. There was nothing else that made me feel so comfortable and happy to be a part of besides the people in band and the experience it gave me.

"Josh, you ready for the show tonight?" I heard someone yell behind me. I turned to see the mellophone section leader, Darren, smiling brightly.

"You know it," I grinned and slapped his arm playfully. "Hey, maybe we will get our superior tonight!"

Darren agreed and walked away to go load his instrument, and I quickly walked back to my section. Everyone sat around the floor, waiting for the trailer to be opened so we could load stuff and get ready to leave for the show. Many people had large bags today, because this was the farthest show yet, and they would want more sleeping items and such. This was the farthest show besides state, but that is only if we ever get there.

See, this is how state competition works. Each show, you have the main awards. Best percussion, which we usually got, Best Color Guard, Best Music Choice, and so on. Then, you have the ratings. Each band gets a rating, which adds up to a certain point amount. Anything in a certain range get a one, or a superior, the next rate down gets a two, or an excellent, and down from there. The lowest you can get is a four, which basically means you shouldn't even be considered a marching band.

We had yet to get a four this season. I knew it was scary for the freshman and such, but it was terrifying for us seniors even more. We had gotten ones every year so far at the very first show, so it was weird to not have one yet. People like Louis and I, say, we got a one our very first show, the very first performance ever, so we just at some point take it for granted.

"JOSHUA!" I sighed and chuckled, letting my head fall as I heard the oh-so familiar voice. Speak of the devil, and the devil will appear.

"LOUIS!" I screamed as I turned to see my best friend walking through the chairs to me. He placed one knee on the seat, holding his hands on the back of it and gave me a creepy smile.

"Ouch, don't scream, Josh, I have fragile ears." I only snorted. "Hey, I'm sitting by Harry today since it's a long ride and he gets...uh....bus sick."

"Well, what about me!" I frowned, not buying Louis' lame excuse. He probably just wanted to sit in the back of the bus with his boyfriend and....never mind.

"You can sit with Niall! Him and Harry always sit with each other, you can take his spot!" Louis winked and I felt my cheeks flush red. Sit with Niall?

"Ugh, fine!" I took my hands up to Louis face and held it in both, making sure the crazy boy was looking in my eyes. "But I better not hear you guys...doing anything."

"That might be hard." I heard a deep voice beside me, and turned. Harry stood there biting his lip and stuffing his hands in his pants pocket. "We're pretty loud."

"You're Harry." I smiled and reached out my hand, shaking it. "I haven't properly been introduced yet, but you've slept on my counter, so I feel as if this is totally unneccesary."

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Harry smirked in a very...Harry way and let go of my hand. "You're Josh? I've heard about you from Niall."

"What?" I almost fell backwards into the music stand behind me. "Really?"

"Loads." Harry nodded, and I felt myself blush again. Niall talked about me?

"Speaking of load," Louis popped back into the conversation, and jumped up next to Harry. "You both have an instrument to load. Trailer just arrived."

"Gonna go get my boner then." Harry bit his lip at his lame joke and turned around, walking back over to his band locker. Louis followed him with his eyes, and I rolled mine. I was just happy Louis finally had somebody, then I didn't have to deal with him all the time.

"Better load my drum and tell Niall that we are seat buddies." Louis nodded, and walked after his precious Harry, and I went to get my drum from the shelf. Perfect timing to, as I just passed Niall on his way through with his uniform bag.

"Niall," I smiled at him and he looked up and grinned. I was happy he grinned at me now, instead of his old recoiling back. "Our best friends left us for each other."

His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, and I tried my hardest not to blush. He was just so perfect, even when he was confused and stupid like this. "What'd you mean?"

"Louis and Harry decided to sit together on the bus now, so we get to be seat buddies!"

"Ah, cool." He pulled off his snapback and itched his head. "I just got to grab me drum then I will get us a seat!"

"Great, thanks, Ni," I smiled and he nodded and turned away. I turned to get my quads, a large grin on my face and my stomach tightening. I needed Niall more than I thought I did. Him and only him could give me this feeling and I loved it.

I had a three or four hour bus trip with the boy, now! I hit the realization with a start as I slid my drum from the shelf and began to walk out to the trailer. Three hours just me and Niall, alone? I mean there was a bus of other kids, but if I worked it out the right way....

I boarded the bus minutes later, and Niall sat in a seat right up front. I gave him a confused smile and nodded my head to the back. "Wanna sit back farther, Ni?"

"I can't, I'm only a sophomore."

"And I'm a senior. You're with me, it's okay." I silently hoped that my cheeks didn't flush too badly at those words, and if they did, Niall was oblivious to them. He stood up and led the way to the back of the bus. You're with me. I like the way that sounded.

"This seat okay?" He pointed to one just a few rows from the back, and I nodded, smiling.

"It's great."

~

It felt like only minutes later as we boarded the bus once again. This time, however, we were tired, cranky, and disappointed. I don't think anyone was looking forward the bus trip home besides me.

We hadn't gotten our superior. The performance in itself was terrible, and it was no surprise that we didn't. Some of the color guards' platforms and props had been placed in the wrong parts on the field, and right in the line of many marching drills.

Stupid ass color guard. Piss me off. Now we only had one more show to make up for it, and get our superior for state.

As I entered the bus, I saw a blonde head leaning up against the window, and I sighed. Count to ten, Josh. Calm down. For Niall.

"Hey, Josh." Niall looked up sadly, and I could've sworn there were tears in his eyes. My heart felt like it was literally being stabbed. If Niall was hurt, so was I.

"Niall, are you okay?" I sat down quickly beside him and he smiled slightly, but he looked scared. He was like a baby, or a small animal. You had to move slowly or you would scare him away. "Sorry..."

"No, really it's fine, Josh...I just really want that superior. It seems silly, I know-"

"It's not silly at all, Niall." The lights in the buses turned off and I shifted more comfortably in my seat.

"It probably is to you, seeing as you hate band so much."

I turned towards Niall and frowned slightly in confusion. "What makes you think I hate band?"

"Well, you're always just so angry." Niall shrugged. "I always thought you just hated band...."

I knew what he wanted to say next, even though he didn't actually say it. He thought I was angry because I hated band...and him. "Niall, I don't hate band or you, for that matter."

Niall remained quiet in the dark bus, but I saw his bright blue eyes staring me down.

"I was always just...angry, but not at you or band."

"Why did you take it out on me though?" Niall's voice cracked, and I filled with guilt knowing I had caused him so much pain. Why had I hurt him so deeply, and so often?

"Niall, I hurt you because I was angry...with myself." My voice was barely a whisper in the quiet bus, and I knew Niall could hear me. "I knew there was something wrong with me, and I hated it."

Niall didn't answer, but his eyebrows furrowed together, again confused.

"I hated myself for liking you Niall. I don't know if you realized that, but I did- I mean I do!" Niall smiled slightly, and I took one last breath before saying the rest. "I hated you for being so god-damn beautiful."

"Beautiful?" Even in the dark bus I saw Niall blush, and it literally took everything I had to not lean forward and press my lips to his. "You think I'm beautiful?"

"Niall, you're more than beautiful." I said breathlessly as I let out the last possible thing I could say to Niall. "You're fucking perfect."


	23. Chapter 23

~Harry~

My knee bounced nervously in front of me, and tightened my arm around Louis' shoulder as the bus went over the speed bump. Louis stifled slightly in his sleep, but rolled his head back against my shoulder, obviously tired. I knew he was more upset and nervous than I was about today, our last band show. That is, unless we get to state.

I admit I was nervous, but this was hard for Louis, I know especially this time. He was the field commander, he was in charge of everyone, even Beckah sometimes. Everyone looked up to him as a leader, and if we didn't get to state, I knew it would break his heart. And honestly, that was something I could not let happen.

I had officially decided that today would be his day. This was Louis' day, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. The band would do perfect, because that's what my baby deserved. Perfection.

Turning my head slightly, I kissed his hair and he opened his bright blue eyes. "Wake up, babe."

"I've been up this whole time, Curly." Louis sat up straighter in the small bus seat adn ran a hand through his messy hair. "You just have a really soft shoulder and you smell nice."

I smiled and thanked him, telling him that my sister got me this cologne. We exited the bus and began to dress and I chuckled quietly to myself. It's just insane to think that less than two months ago, I didn't even know Louis' name. Sure, I passed him in the hallway, our lockers were relatively close, and I think he was in my study hall, but never did I think about this. He was just a band nerd to me. But now...he was my life.

Band was my life now, I figured out as I slipped the nasty black shoes onto my foot. It was a nusiance before, but honestly it was my world now. I didn't enjoy it as much as Louis, but I enjoyed being around Louis, and I enjoyed band.

"Marching to field in five minutes!" I heard someone yell through the crowd, and I turned to Louis for him to button up my jacket.

"This is a pretty quick show." Louis bit his tongue as he struggled with my zipper. "It's basically arrive, perform, then sit in the bleachers forever."

"That's alright." I smiled as he did up the last button. "More time to sit with my Boo."

Louis smiled and blushed, then placed a hand on my cheek. "I don't want to distract you but..." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, and I grinned against the rough and now familiar feel.

"Good luck, Lou." I said after the short kiss. I wanted more, I admit, but same as Louis, I didn't want to distract him, or distract myself. It was game time. Or....band show time.

He smiled and he walked away with a wink, his bum tight against the fabric of his uniform. Damn.

Okay Harry, no distractions now. Play this show for Louis.

~

With one last breath, I pressed my lips to my mouthpiece and blew, as hard and as much as I possibly could. The color guard girl in front of me almost dropped her flag because I scared her so much, but I pulled back my instrument with satisfaction. Through all the weeks and early mornings and late nights at band, it was then that I knew I had made a difference. We were getting a superior tonight if I had to march into the judges' room myself and demand it.

As we marched off, I looked quickly over at Louis as he and Beckah saluted us off, perfectly in sync with each other. We marched back to the trailer, all still at attention and then Mr. Hilton told us to relax.

"Good work, guys! Really great job! If that doesn't get you guys a superior I don't know what will! Excellent trombone sound at that last note, too!" Mr. Hilton pointed out a couple more really good parts of the show and I felt someone wrap their arms around my waist.

"Great job, Curly." I felt the whisper in my ear, and I bit my lip to keep from grinning.

"If-" Mr. Hilton shook his head. "No, I take that back, WHEN you get that superior tonight, I'm going to go to the board and get you guys a lock-in!"

Cheers went through the band, and Mr. Hilton excused himself as we started to undress. "What's a lock-in."

"One of the greatest parts of band," A feminine voice came from behind me, and I turned to Mia. "Good job, Harry."

"Thank you," I said slowly, confused as to why she was even talking to me. She never really seemed that happy to see me.

"I know you probably think I hate you, but I don't anymore. I have more important things to worry about than you hurting Niall." She pulled a sweatshirt over her head and I smiled at it. There was a tuba on the front, and in big letters it read 'We like to get low'. I was reminded of Louis' joke the other day, and smiled at the memory.

"I would never hurt Niall, though, Mia. He's my best friend."

"Well, then we both should be worried. Apparently him and that Josh Devine have a thing now."

"Josh? What's wrong with Josh?" I turned to look at Niall across the band field. He didn't look like he was being tortured. He looked happy, laughing hysterically at something Josh had said.

Mia followed my gaze and rolled her eyes. "A lot. I know he's going to hurt Niall in some way. Keep an eye out for me, though, Niall won't even talk to me anymore." She turned on her heel before I had the chance to say or hear anymore from her.

I frowned, but then turned back to Louis, who was still in his uniform. He had to stand up for the awards and represent the band, along with Beckah and the two other senior commanders. "What do we do now, Lou?"

"We have about a two hour gap until awards?" Louis shrugged. I smiled.

"Good. I want some nachos." I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the concession stands, where a long line was already beginning to form.

I groaned and Louis squeezed my hand reassuringly, and then peeked over at the menu. "I think I'm going to get a marching taco...."

"They actually make those?" I snorted, and Louis slapped my arm playfully.

"Shut up, I'm a band geek." I turned to look towards the field as a band started playing, and Louis greeted the peron in front of us.

"Hey, Liam!" The boy smiled and I rolled back through my head of any memory of this Liam. He was a trumpet. His friend...Zayn? I think it was Zayn. They were nominated for most inseperable band buddies. That was all I knew.

"Hi, Louis," He replied quietly and picked up his nachos from the counter of the concession stand.

"Where's Zayn been? I saw him earlier but not since then."

Liam gulped and I wondered for a minute what was wrong. I thought they were 'inseperable'? But where was his buddy? "I honestly don't know Louis... See you guys in the stands."

I watched Liam walk away sadly and turned to Louis as he ordered our food. He finished our order and turned to me as the worker prepared our food. "That's Liam. He's field commander next year."

"Really?"

Louis nodded and paid the woman for our food before leading us towards the stands. "Do you know what you're doing about band next year?"

I shook my head as Louis and I climbed the steps to the seats, and thought about it again. Was I going to do band next year? If Louis wasn't there, I didn't know if I wanted to.....but I would have Niall. And I could make friends. Maybe.

"Me and Josh are going to Uni next year, but we would definitely come down to every band show we could. Niall is going to be field commander in a couple years, and there's always other people you could hang out with."

As Louis continued to ramble, I picked up a chip and shoved it into my mouth. I didn't want to think about next year band, I wanted to know if we got a superior this year. I listened as Louis talked about his first year of band, the other bands he likes, and basically everything. It began to get cold and dark and we huddled together under our blankets and jackets.

I was disappointed as Louis stood up to go to the front, and prepare for the awards. "Don't leave." I begged.

"I have to, babe." He bent over and kissed my forehead. "I can't accept your superior if I'm sitting in the stands."

He started to walk away, and I sighed and looked around. The band was seated in one's and two's across the bleachers, and I spotted Niall walking his way up to me. "Josh had to fill in for Emily as a senior commander," He explained, and blushed. I didn't ask what was going on with the two, knowing that I would surely hear all soon enough.

"We'd like to bring all Class B bands to the field for awards!" The announcer said, and I rose with the rest of the band to cheer.

"Best Auxiliary goes to..."The announcer began, and I turned to Niall.

"What's auxilary?"

"Color Guard and other dancers and batonists and stuff."

"Lake Nixon High School!" A cheer came from the side of us, which I assumed was Lake Nixon. Everyone in the band was standing, all nervous to see if we would get our superior, and any other awards. C'mon, so close to our school, Lakewood. So close.

"Best Music...Lakewood High School!" Everyone jumped up and down and screamed as they said our award for Best Music. Niall nearly fell over and down the bleachers, but I caught him from falling. Everyone calmed down as the announcer came back on.

"Best Percussion.....Lakewood High School!"

"Best Marching......Lakewood High School!"

"Best in Show is Lakewood High School!" Everyone went mental as they announced us for best in show, and everything else. I swear some people were even crying.

"And those receiving superior performances and advancing to the marching band finals are....Lake Nixon High School, Jefferson United High School, and Lakewood High School!"

Pride surged through me and I pulled Niall into a monster bear hug, both of us jumping up and down like five year olds. Someone below opened the gate, and the entire band flooded onto the field in and towards Beckah, Josh, Anthony, and Louis.

Louis. I spotted him across the field and took off as fast as my long and uncoordinated legs could take me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around him, pressing my lips into his hair as I hugged him close to my body.

"You did it, baby. You're leading us to state."


	24. Chapter 24

~Liam~

"Yeah, Dani, I know, I know...Trust me, I know Zayn better than anyone." I smiled as I pressed the phone between my ear and my shoulder.

"You have to tell me what happens afterwards since I can't come to the lock-in, and you need to call me if you have a problem, okay?" I heard the muffled voice of Danielle through the phone and I rolled my eyes, stuffing every single one of the Marvel movies I owned into my duffel bag. Zayn loved superheroes.

"Tell me again why you can't come?"

I heard an exasperated sigh and then Danielle's voice came back into the speaker. "I have a dance competition for the next couple of days, I may not even make it back in time to leave for state."

"Right, I heard that." I zipped up the bag and took one last look at my room. I don't think I was forgetting anything.

"No, you didn't, Liam." I tried not to groan. Danielle was helping me a lot with Zayn, I guess, but she still was pushy. After a quick goodbye with Danielle, I hung up the phone and finished packing for the lock-in.

"Honey, are you driving to the lock-in or is Zayn coming to get you?" I heard my mom yell up the stairs. I shut my door and started across the hall to my bathroom for my toothbrush and toothpaste as I answered.

"No, I'm driving there!"

"Okay, you boys have a good time tonight. We are going out to eat with the Thirwall's."

"Okay." I yelled back down, slightly upset. I hadn't told my mom about our fight. Was it even a fight? Would it be classified as a fight, or a disagreement, or what?

What were we fighting about though? Our feelings? What feelings though? Were there feelings? Did Zayn feel anything? Did I even feel anything?

I frowned and ran a hand through my hair. I was confused, so confused. I felt like a girl discussing my feelings and shit like this. I needed to get to the lock-in.

Sliding down the banister, I peeked out the window as my parents left the driveway, over to go to dinner with some of their friends. I still had a couple minutes before I had to leave for the lock-in, so I threw down my duffel bag and fell down to the couch, clicking on the TV and throwing my feet onto the coffee table.

I felt my foot hit something, and heard a thump seconds later. Curious, I sat up and reached down under the coffee table. I had to lay flat on my stomach to do so, but I felt the cloth-like thing almost instantly. What was it?

Pretzel-style, I sat on the floor and brought the thing into my lap. It was a book. Again, curiously, I opened the book and smiled once I saw the first page. Zayn in a cheerleading uniform, with a watermelon shell hat and one of the biggest, dorkiest smiles I had ever seen, was pictured on the first page. Our freshman initiation, after the watermelon race. I slipped my finger under the plastic covering and flipped the page. The next page was me, my mouth full to the brim with saltine crackers, and two thumbs up facing the camera. That was the cracker challenge. I nearly choked and died during that part of freshman initiation.

The page beside that was band camp, both Zayn and I, together on our first year. There was sun in the background and sweat evident on our bodies, but our arms were wrapped securely around each other and we looked like two little kids on Christmas morning. We were happy.

As I flipped through and through the book, I felt myself get more and more upset. This was all Zayn and me, me and Zayn, through the years we've been together. I could tell the minute I opened the book that this was made by my mom, the Z's all had lines through them, and the Y's had that distinctive loop. Why had my mom made this? I mean, sure parents loved their kids, and scrapbooking, but every picture was either me or Zayn, and most were us two together. There wasn't a single one with any other person.

I got to the end of the book, which wasn't technically the end, but that was were it stopped. The last picture was me and him after our final competition, in our uniforms just after we had left the field.

But there was still more. Band this year, next school year, next band year, and then the summer. Somewhere deep in my thoughts, Zayn's deep voice echoed through the quiet house. With a sigh, I agreed. We only have so much time left, Zayn. And there are pages in this book left to be filled.

With a new feeling of determination and desire, I shut the book with a satisfactory slap and smiled. Then I stuffed the book in my duffel bag and headed out to the door, ready for the lock in and finally decided on what I was going to do with these feelings.

I was gonna do something about them.

~Zayn~

I entered the band room with a sag in my step and only what was in my pockets to last me the next sixteen hours. During these things I didn't plan, I just came and hoped to God that someone else would have a blanket and a pillow for me to lay down on at night. Usually that was Liam.

That didn't seem so probable this year, however. I was stupid. I was confused. I had acted like a little girl and gotten confused with my feelings, and now Liam thought I hated him. I didn't hate him, though. In fact, it seemed to be the exact opposite of hate. I think I was in love with my best friend.

I have repeated it so many times in my head, and yet every time, it just echoes. Like I'm standing in the middle of the Grand Canyon, not a single soul in sight, and I just scream it. As it echoes of, it...echoes obviously. The voice bounced off the walls, and back at me. I, Zayn Malik, thought I was in love with my best friend.

The thought was where I was wrong though. I had absolutely no idea what was going on in my head, or Liam's for that matter. Wasn't love supposed to be one of those mutual feelings? Where you both know, without saying that you were made for the other person, and that you would be together...forever?

I've been watching way to many rom-coms with Waliyah, I thought, shaking my head clear and picking up a piping hot slice of pizza from the box sat on the counter. I hadn't even spoken to anyone as I entered the band room. I needed some guy stuff. I needed to play some video games.

Quickly, I made it through the cafeteria, and into the corner, where Mr. Hilton had sectioned off as the gaming station. We had the whole left wing of the school. Auditorium, cafeteria, gymnasium, and, sectioned off in the tiny little corner, the band room. We literally were the outsiders in this situation.

"Danny, pass me a controller, mate." I sat down in one of the bean bags and was handed a controller almost instantly. Clear your mind, Zayn. Think like a dude, not a thirteen year old girl. Find Liam.

~

My eyes hadn't blinked in hours. Blinked? Blunked? Blanked? I didn't even care enough to speak correctly. How long was I sitting here in the corner? Two, maybe three hours?

Still, no one had come up and spoken to me. The only words I had said while at this lock-in was when I asked Danny for the controller. I was so unsocialable it was sad.

Turns out clearing your mind took longer than I thought it would. Or I was avoiding having to talk to Liam. What can I say? I was scared.

I jumped slightly as one of the snipers came from a bush, and my hands reacted, pushing X and A simultaneously to kill him. This game was intense, I was at like level fifteen or sixteen.

"Dammit," I mumbled as I saw my player crumble to the ground. I was dead.

"Go around the barricade in the other direction, then you can get to the other sniper first, and you won't get shot." My heart pounded as I heard the familiar voice behind me, and I didn't have to turn my head to know that Liam was there. Right there. Liam.

It hurt to see him again, especially since the last time we spoke I had basically told him that I never wanted to see him again. I didn't mean it of course, and I had hoped as my best friend Liam would realize that. He did, apparently.

"May I?" Liam asked, holding his hand out for a controller. I nodded, and picked a controller from out of the bin, hooking it up to the Xbox. We began to play, in silence, as both of us figured out how to apologize.

"Listen, Z," Liam started. "I'm sorry about what happened in the trailer, and whatever it was that upsetted you that night."

I turned my character down an ally, and sighed. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Li, I didn't mean anything I said. I was jealous, that was all."

"Jealous, of what?"

"I don't know, really." I laughed, and felt my cheeks burn. Liam stood up and paused the game, setting his controller down on the floor. "What are you doing?"

Liam pulled something out of a gym bag he had sitting on the floor next to him. It was a blue fabric book. "Z, what I'm about to tell you is seriously so cheesy and retarded, but I'm asking you to bear with me because I know that you have a very deep love for romantic comedies."

"Did you talk to Waliyah by any chance this weekend?"

"Not important, Zayn, please." Liam shook his head and took a deep breath. "Let me stumble my way through this. I met you three years ago, standing in that ridiculous cheerleading costume in McDonald's. Even I don't know how we became best friends so quickly, and I didn't even think about any other thing but you that whole day. First thing I did when I got home, I told my mom all about you. That cheerleading uniform, your extreme comic book love. And the first thing she said when I was finished was 'Seems like you developed a bit of a crush'. Then, I had shunned it off, knowing that Danielle and I had just started out. But that was always in the back of my mind during band camp that year." He stopped and opened the book in front of him, showing me some of the different pictures. It was us, all of it was us. Band camp, band banquet, state, just messing around.

"You did this?" I asked in almost a whisper, looking up into Liam's eyes. They were almost watery, ready to cry. Does Liam...think he loves me?

"No, my mom. I think after that, she never let herself think differently. She always remembered that first day I met you. I think she's been cheering us on all along."

"Us?" I asked, gulping and watching as Liam turned closer to me, kneeling on the floor in front of me.

"Zayn, I'm confused too. I really don't know what to think about this. But, we both have to at least try. Think about it, we have a year left. You said it yourself, that's not much time. I don't know what's going to happen after we graduate, but I want to test this out."

"What are you trying to say, Liam?" I whispered, my voice shaky as I answered him.

"I'm trying to ask you out, Zayn, it's becoming a little harder because you're so god damn thick-skinned." He shook his head and laughed, and I felt a smile rush to my face. "Zayn, will you please just say yes?"

I looked back down at the book on my lap, and at Liam's hand sitting so close to mine. I looked back up into Liam's eyes, and he shot me a scared smile. "Liam, I really don't know."

"Please, Zayn, we have to try." He clutched my hand in his own and I gulped as I felt it warm up almost instantly. This was weird, but it was good. Really good. He held my hand tight, and I nodded slowly.

"Okay, Liam. We'll try."


	25. Chapter 25

~Niall~

I stared hard at my hand, which sat on the middle compartment of the car, interwined with Josh's....was this how things were supposed to happen?

Yeah, I was in his car, on our way to the band lock-in. Even that though, was a far stretch from the past. But to top it off with the hand holding and generally us..together. It was virtually impossible.

But, it wasn't-it isn't impossible, Niall. It's just crazy, that's the only thing. Crazy, stupid, love.

"I still can't believe this is your first lock-in, babe." Josh squeezed my hand and turned towards me with an incredulous look. I blushed, not only in rememberance of my first lock-in, but the whole 'babe' thing. Everything about this relationship seemed odd at first, but it all fit in place so nicely. A week ago, Josh told me that I was beautiful. He said I was perfect. After that, it all just kinda made sense. I mean, he had feelings for me, he didn't know what to do about them. He didn't like not knowing what to do about them, so he treated me like a human punching bag for years and years.

"Well, yeah, the first one went a bit...out of hand." I shrugged.

"Out of hand how?"

I bit my lip slightly in rememberance of the dear old lock-in, and smiled. "I threw up all over Mr. Hilton about five minutes into the damn thing, got some bad turkey for lunch that day and just hurled all over the poor man."

"You're kidding!" Josh's eyes widened and he laughed out loud. "That's priceless! What did he do?"

"Changed his clothes." I chuckled, and Josh rolled his eyes.

"Well, I promise, babe." Josh pulled the car up to a parking spot and turned sideways in his seat and leaned across, planting a firm kiss on my cheek and lingering there for just seconds, making my stomach twist and my heart beat louder than the usual. "This should be a lot more fun."

I grinned and Josh turned away, leaving the car and leaving me smiling like a doofus. Reaching a hand up to my cheek, my heart fluttered in my chest, and I felt like a twelve-year old girl getting my first kiss. Josh can make me feel like that, and no other person can.

Minutes later, my door was opened and I stepped out into the warm air. It was only a little after noon now, and the sun was beating down on my bare arms. I was only happy to be up at the band building for fun, not for a terrible day of band.

"Can you hit the trunk?" Josh asked as I started to shut my door. I nodded and reached under the glove department to push the button. Turning on my heel, I came around the back of the car to help Josh with....whatever he had in his trunk.

"You brought your Play Station?" I picked up on of the boxes, filled with games, a Guitar Hero microphone, and even a Wii Fit Board. "And any form of gaming you had in your house?"'

"This isn't all of it," Josh replied innocently, and pulled the strap of a bag around his shoulder. He picked up the other box and used his chin to close the car door. "My brother was having friends over tonight so I couldn't bring the Wii."

"What's with the board then?"

"Louis said he would steal Lottie's Wii, but he broke the board, so he needed mine."

I rolled my eyes at Louis, who I had now heard loads about between my best friend and my boyfriend. Sounded just like him to do something like that. "That makes perfect sense."

"Of course it makes sense, we're talking about me here." A voice came from around the front of the car, and I raised a hand to wave to the senior boy.

Josh began to walk around the car and towards the school, and I followed behind. "Hi Louis. Hi Harry. Ready for your first lock-in, Curly?"

"Hey, that's my name for him." Louis snapped, and whacked Josh's shoulder with the back of his hand. Harry turned to me and smirked.

"I'm still confused on the subject, actually. They just lock us into the school and we stay there for the next sixteen hours?"

"Basically." Josh nodded. "It's more fun than you make it sound though."

"What Josh means to say is you have unlimited amounts of pizza and pop, the whole left end of the school to wander through, video games and movies at hand, and dark corners all over," Louis stopped walking and turned abruptly around, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder and whispering something inaudible to him. I couldn't hear what was said, but I could take a few guesses, all of them something I was definitely not ready to try yet with anyone.

I mean sure, Josh was hot. He was sexy, and he gave me an amazing feeling like I could do a million cartwheels down a steep hill. And I'm sure having sex with him felt great, and I trusted him now. Still, I just thought we needed a lot more time before we get into that. I mean, true love waits, right?

"Can you grab the door, Haz?" I nodded towards the door, and Harry nodded back, taking an extra stride to the door and opening it for Josh and I. "Gracias!"

Harry smirked at my Spanish and I walked into the band room, where there was hustle and bustle everywhere. Lock-in's and state were the two biggest things for marching band, and since this lock-in was because of our state qualification, it was nuts. People were literally jumping off the walls, like running and seeing if they would bounce back off. A saxophone I remembered as Nella was on another boy's back, and everyone jumped around and laughed. Sometimes, I just loved band people.

"Pizza's here!" I heard someone yell, and smiled when I saw some adult chaperones walk in with boxes of pizza. I loved pizza.

"Okay, everyone gets two pieces to start off with, and you can only eat in the cafeteria. Myself and many other chaperones will be around the building all night long, so don't try to get away with anything!"

"Already planning on it." I heard Louis mutter behind me. Turning, I saw him wink at Harry and I rolled my eyes. For being the leader, Louis was the most rebellious of all the band, always trying to pull a fast one on Mr. Hilton, or find a loophole in every situation.

"Trust me, Louis, we know." Josh smiled, and Louis just shrugged back.

"Okay, so with that being said, the auditorium is the best place to sleep, the band room is off-limits, the gym is open to any dodgeball tournaments, and like I said, eat in the cafeteria." Mr. Hilton pulled his landyard from his pocket and took a step towards the band room door which opened straight to the parking lot. "You are all officially locked-in until eight o'clock tomorrow morning!"

A cheer ran through the band as we were permitted to...be locked-in, I guess, and I felt Josh's hand across my waist. "Go grab us a seat in the corner, babe. I'll get the pizza."

I nodded and felt a small kiss being brushed across my cheek, and a blush soon followed. Yeah, Josh might've been a jerk to me for years and years before, but now that I knew why, it made everything else seem great. Once he knew he could actually use his feelings well, he didn't need to torture me, and he could just show his emotions the natural way. And it sure felt a hell of a lot better holding Josh's hand than getting punched by it.

Across the wall was coolers, filled with, unfortunately, only pop. I reached in and got a Coke for myself, and thought about it..Josh seemed like a Mountain Dew guy? Maybe?

"If you're looking for a drink for your boyfriend, he likes Pepsi. I know because one time I dumped some on him and he licked it off his cheek." I smiled when I heard the voice behind me, and turned around to the petite girl with pink hair.

"Mia..." She crossed her arms at me, and I sighed. "Listen, Mi, I'm sorry I ignored you, and yelled at you, and probably pissed you off. I know you don't like Josh or Harry, but I do."

"I just can't believe you let Josh torture you for years, and then you just let him into your life like that. And Harry was always a bad influence, but I appreciate him more than Josh."

"Mia, you're not my mom, and I can make my own decisions. I trust Josh, okay, and if he ever does hurt me, I hope that I can still have you to be my friend. Please, just give him a chance, eat with us tonight."

Mia held her arms tighter to her chest, and I gave her the best pleading look I possibly could. "Fine. But if any food happens to come flying across the table at him, don't get mad at me."

~Josh~

After disposing of all three of our dirty plates in the trash, I smiled when I saw Niall and Mia hugging. I was happy that I hadn't destroyed their friendship, and if I did, I probably never would've forgiven myself, and neither would Niall. I mean, if Niall got between me and Louis, I knew that would be terrible. Louis was my best friend, and Niall was my boyfriend, but I knew Louis longer, so I definitely would go with him.

"Gotta go, guys." Mia said, pulling away from Niall, and giving me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Josh. I judged you too quick for just a few things you did to him. I'm not fully okay with this arrangement yet, but I will be soon enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, the tubas challenged the bass drums for a dodgeball tournament at nine."

"I'm glad I'm not a bass drum." I smiled, and Mia winked at us. With a wave, she was gone down the hallway to the gym, and I sighed. "I really meant that, Ni, I'm happy I'm not a bass drum."

"I'd be happy, too." Niall grinned, and turned to me. "Well, it's nine. We still have eleven hours until we get out of the school....what do we do now?"

"I set up a mattress in the corner?" I suggested, and smiled when I saw Niall's face. "No! I meant to watch a movie or something, not that Niall!"

"Oh, good. Good."

"Don't worry," I squeezed his hand as we began to walk. "I won't sleep with you again for a while. Hurt my arse too much."

"Again?" Niall stopped walking and turned abruptly towards me. "What are you talking about, Josh?"

"What do you mean, what am I talking a-" My jaw dropped open and I gasped. "Niall, you don't..."

"Ohmygod. Have we had sex before?" Niall let go of my hand and stared hard at me, shocked.

"You don't remember? The party at my house a couple weeks ago."

"We had sex?! I was drunk as hell, Josh, I don't remember. I just woke up in Louis' car with Harry...my pants were undone and..and-" Niall's eyes got wider, if that was even possible. "Ohmygod, we had sex that night?"

I nodded and bit my lip, watching Niall as he tried to place the memories back. "Are...are you mad, Ni?"

Niall slowly began to smile, then he laughed. I grinned as I heard him laugh, and asked again if he was mad. "I'm fine, Josh." He answered. "Just a bit shocked."

I waited, and he took my hand in his. "I guess I just have one question for you, Josh."

"What's that, babe?"

"Next time you try to get me in bed, make sure I'm sober, okay? It's completely unfair to me, Josh."

I smiled, and leaned forward, kissing Niall's cheek. "Sure, babe. Next time."


	26. Chapter 26

~Louis~

My eyes opened slowly and groggily in the dark auditorium, and it took a minute or two for my eyes to adjust. When they did, I began to slowly take in some of my surroundings.

The auditorium was dark, and people were scattered throughout the large room, either on the floor or in the cushioned seats. I was on the stage, I could feel the cold floor underneath me. As I felt my way around, I found my phone, and opened it. 6:12 in the morning. I groaned.

I moved my hand a bit farther, to see if I could feel for anything else, when I felt a body. Arms, shoulder, and I felt through the hair. It was Harry, definitely. Sighing, I allowed myself to lay back on Harry's chest, and smiled.

I was proud of Harry, definitely proud of him. How he learned to love band, how he got so excited with it, how he actually cared. And I loved him so, so much. He became, within only a few short months, my entire world.

Then why was I so scared to tell my mom about us? About him even? Sure, my mom knew and accepted the fact that I was gay. But she never liked Harry, for years and years she said he was a bad influence. She told Lottie to stay away from him and told me to keep Lottie away from him.

He's changed now, though. Well, he is still the same person. He just allowed everyone else to see the part of him that he had covered up for so long. The caring, sensitive, really good kid. That was the Harry that everyone in band saw. And that was the Harry that I wanted my mom to see. Because that caring, sensitive, really good kid was MY Harry.

I stood up in a rush, forgetting that Harry was underneath me, and winced as I accidently stepped on him in the dark auditorium. "Sorry, baby."

"Boo, what time is it?" Harry moaned, still asleep despite his talking. I bent down and pulled his hair from his forehead, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Quarter past six, Curly. Gotta wee, I'll be right back." I whispered, and felt Harry nod under my hand. Slowly, I stepped back until I heard his soft snores once more, then I tiptoed off the stage and out into the hallway.

I wasn't lying to Harry, I actually did have to use the restroom. Really, really badly. Out in the hall, I could smell pancakes and syrup coming from the cafeteria, and I licked my lips hungrily. Every year we have a lock-in, a couple of wonderful mom's cook together a breakfast of pancakes for us, and every other year I have enjoyed it.

"Mr. Hilton?" I came around the corner as I saw the band director, heavy bags under his eyes. Poor guy was probably up all night chaperoning. Still, he greeted me as if it was any other morning. "What time are the doors unlocked?"

"You guys are permitted to leave at 6:30, Louis, and everyone has to be out of the building by 8:00. Are you staying for pancakes?" He asked, and I couldn't help but notice he was holding back a grin. I looked myself up and down, and understood exactly why. I was wearing a Superman onesie, and my hair was probably a terrible mess. I always got really bad bedhead, but there was always just that one piece of hair that always just....stuck up.

"I, uh, don't think so, Mr. Hilton. I have to go, excuse me," I smiled gratefully as I left and entered the boys' bathroom across the hall.

Well, I went, and I have to say, it was relieving. I washed my hands and waited for them to dry, then pulled my phone from the pocket of the onesie. A text from my mom had come in, and I read through it with my tired eyes.

Mom: when are you going to be home? lottie wants some eggs, can you pick some up?

I took a deep breath and began to type back a message. "By 7. can i bring home a friend?" It said. I frowned at it as I hesitated whether or not to push send. I didn't want to surprise my mom in two ways, by bringing home not only Harry but not telling her that he was more than just a friend. I erased the second sentence and took another deep, long breath. If I was this nervous over text message, then what would I be like when I got home?

To Mom: By 7. can i bring someone home for breakfast? there's a special boy that i'd really like you and the girls to meet.

~

"You could at least warn me a day or so ahead that I'm going to get to meet your mum, Lou," Harry sat in the front seat of my car, shaking his hair out and whipping it to the side with such a fashion, it seemed like he did it everyday. "I'm not good with spur-of-the-moment occasions."

"You'll be fine, Harry." I took one hand from the steering wheel and grabbed his wrist, pulling it away from his hair. He turned to me and I flicked my eyes away from the road for just a second. "She's going to love you. Just let her see the boy I fell in love with."

Harry smiled and I pulled his hand to my lips, kissing the back of it softly, and then interwining our fingers. He sat back in his seat, now a bit more comfortable with the situation, and I felt my heart pound nervously in my chest. I was incredibly nervous. I should've thought this through beforehand, this was my first time bringing someone home to meet my family since I came out. I had brought girls home before but never a guy, and never someone as important to me as Harry.

I realized with a start that it didn't really matter what my mom thought, and that there really was no reason to worry. I was in love with Harry, and if she didn't like it, I really couldn't care less. Josh and I were leaving for Uni in six months, and she would just have to deal with it. This gave me the extra boost of confidence I needed to pull up into my driveway and turn off the car. I was about to pull open the car door when I felt a small kiss being planted on my cheek.

"Thank you, Lou. You know how important this is to me." Harry rubbed his nose up against my cheek, and I turned my face towards his touch, because it felt so good to feel it.

After a moment or so of sitting, I pulled up the rest of that confidence and kindly pushed Harry off of me. "Let's go, baby."

I hopped from the car and came around to Harry's side, opening the door and taking his hand as he got out. With one last look of encouragement from his emerald eyes, I turned and sauntered up the sidewalk, squeezing maybe just too tightly onto his hand. I pulled him up onto the porch and opened the front door, walking into spotless living room.

"Lottie?" I called out nervously. Suddenly, I heard two sets of feet running towards the door, and I smiled as the twins came in sight.

"Louis!" They screamed, and came running into my arms. I grinned and ran a hand through their hair as they hugged me. "Louis, we slept in your room last night and we watched The Amazing Spiderman on your laptop and Fizzy accidently spilled a lot of popcorn, but it wasn't that much."

"One night I'm gone, girls. One night." I frowned and shook my head as the unlatched themselves, and became suddenly interested in the sex on legs standing beside me.

"Who's that?" Daisy whispered, staring with wide eyes at me.

"Daisy, that is not the way to introduce yourself!" My mom came around the corner from the kitchen, and I turned towards the side, hoping to guard Harry from her view and save myself just a minute longer. "Louis, where is this special b-"

"Mom, this is H-H-H-H-Harry," I stumbled, biting my lip as I stared down at the hardwood floor, not willing to meet my mom's eyes.

"Harry, um," My mom at first sounded disappointed but she quickly brightened up. "Nice to meet you, Harry."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," I watched Harry's hand and my mom's as they shook, still refusing to look my mom in the eyes.

"I sure hope you boys are hungry," She said, and gestured for us to go into the kitchen. I lead the way, pulling Harry behind me, and went to my usual seat. I was between Daisy and Mom usually, but I quickly pulled Harry down into my mom's seat, and began to mess with the zipper on my jacket. I only looked up enough to notice Mom sitting in the extra seat at the table, between Lottie and Fizzy. Lottie shot me a horrid look, and I returned to my zipper. So much for the confidence.

"Louis, come help me get the biscuits from the oven. Now." Lottie instructed, and I stood up fast to leave the tension-filled dining room.

"So, Harry, you're in band?" Was the last thing I heard as I exited the dining room.

"What the hell were you thinking, Louis!" Lottie slapped my arm and continued to give me a disappointed look.

"I don't know what I was thinking, Lots, I was confused!"

"You certainly were, bringing Harry to the house, you know how Mum feels about him, Lou." She frowned and turned towards the oven, pulling out the sheet of biscuits. "Honestly, in what insane part of your mind did you think that that would be okay?"

"I wasn't thinking about 'okay', I was thinking about the fact that I only have six months left to be with Harry before I leave and I wasn't going to do that without Mum knowing about it." I sighed and began to take the steaming biscuits from the sheet, placing them into a bowl. "I didn't care whether she didn't like it, I just wanted her to accept that that was the way it was."

I placed the last of the biscuits in the bowl and looked around to Lottie, who gave me a stern look. "You know if you weren't so hopelessly in love with this kid and I didn't totally think you were the cutest couple ever I would be pissed at you."

"But you're not?' I asked hopefully.

"We'll see how breakfast goes."

Lottie turned on her heel after taking the biscuits from my hand and entered back into the dining room, where Harry was turned towards Fizzy, showing her something interesting with his hands. "See then you take this finger and pull it back, and the thumb from your other hand, and it looks like you've completely lost your index finger." (A/N: okay has anyone else seen this thing it is like really cool I will explain it later lol)

"Whoa, cool, Harry!" Fizzy exclaimed, trying to do what Harry had done. I grinned as he turned towards me, and sat back down next to him.

"You're sisters are great, Boo," He smirked, and I shrugged jokingly.

"What can I say, they took a lot after their older brother." I winked.

Harry licked his lips and turned towards my mom on the other side of the table. "I think I know where all the girls got their beauty from though, ma'am."

"Please, Harry, call me Jay," My mom spoke again, and laughed geniunely. "And stop being such a sweetheart."

The rest of the breakfast went like that. Slow, lots of chatter. I ate silently and allowed Harry to charm his way into every single member of my family. He even got deeper into me, and I felt myself falling for him all over again. My mom would ask Harry about something, he would answer politely and joke around with the girls. He was a ball, to say the least. I found myself just eating and eating, laughing and laughing, not speaking throughout the entire meal.

"Well, I better be getting home, thank you so much for breakfast. It really was great to meet all of you." Harry stood up and kissed each of the little girls' cheeks, and waved to Lottie and Mum. "Thanks again,"

"Do you need me to take you?" I asked, fingers crossed under the table, hoping to escape another minute before confrontation with my mom.

"It's okay, I think I'll just walk to Niall's and wake him up. Him and Josh were up all night, so he's probably pooped." Harry grinned, and I stood up, wiping my mouth on a napkin.

I set the napkin down and rolled in my chair. "At least let me walk you to the door,"

"I was hoping you would."

I took Harry's hand and pulled him back through the house, and out the front door. "Listen, Harry, you did amazing in there. You're so..."

"Charming? Charismatic? C'mon, Lou, just tell me, I can take it." Harry placed a hand on my cheek and rubbed his thumb soothingly over the skin.

"Fine, I'll say it." I grinned as I got closer to Harry's lips. "You're amazing, Styles."

I felt the slight impact of his lips as they hit mine, and he tasted like orange juice. Despite my desire for more of him, I pulled away just as we began. My sisters would be at the door any second, and the less torment from them, the better. "I have to go, but I will call you later."

"I'll keep my phone on," Harry smiled and kissed my cheek before turning and walking back down the driveway and the sidewalk in that lanky way he does. I turned and entered back into the house. I could see Lottie and Fizzy fighting over the Wii remote, and I heard Mum and Lottie in the kitchen.

It's now or never, Louis. I told myself, entering the dining room and beginning to pick up the table. I had almost the whole table picked up when the door flung open, and slowly my mom entered the room. "Louis...what's wrong? You didn't look at me at all since you've been home."

I didn't say anything, but continued to pick up the table.

"Listen, Louis, I'm upset about Harry. I still don't know exactly what I think about him. But what makes me more upset is that you kept it from me."

"Mom, I'm 18," I slammed the pile of plates back on the table and finally met my mother's hurt eyes. "I don't care about who you do and don't want me to date. I know you don't like Harry, but I do. A lot. So whether you approve of it or not, I'm going to."

"I know, Louis. You're growing up-"

"Yes, I am."

"And it's no longer my business who you date-"

"No, it's not."

"And that's exactly the reason I know that you really care for Harry-"

"I most certainly do and- wait." I stopped and followed my mom as she came around the side of the table. "What do you mean?"

My mom took my shoulders and looked me dead on in the eyes. "If you didn't care for Harry, and he was just another boy, you would listen to me if I told you that I wanted you to stay away from him. Because you went against my wishes and went with him anyways, I know that."

"Really?" I bit my lip and looked up hopefully. "So you're okay with me and Harry?"

"Yes, honey, as long as you are happy."

"Good." I breathed. "Because even if you weren't I'm totally never going to leave him."


	27. Chapter 27

~Zayn~

I flipped the page in the covered blue book and smiled as I saw the different pictures of Liam and I. It pleased me to know that he had given me the book, and wanted so badly to try....'us' out.

Because I had to admit it, I'd been thinking about 'us' for about a year or so now. During school this past year, they had talked tp us for a while about our future, and where we were all going after college. I don't know, it just got me thinking about stuff. That we weren't going to be in high school forever.

I heard my laptop ding from the side table and reached for it, using my other hand to balance myself from falling off the bed. I typed in my password and saw an IM from Liam had come through.

Liam: are you busy tonight?

Zayn: unless you count shower and making myself dinner as busy :) whats up

Liam: I'd like to take you somewhere. how soon can you be ready?

Zayn: whenever.

Liam: well I'm in your living room.

My eyes opened wide, and I hopped off the bed quickly. Pulling back the curtain I saw a car, not Liam's, but a car in my driveway. I turned back to the computer.

Zayn: what?!

Liam Payne has logged off.

I frowned and slammed shut my laptop lid, turning towards the door to run downstairs and check and see if Liam is, in fact, in my living room. As I turned, I got sight of my reflection, and I groaned. My hair was a disheveled mess, and I was still wearing my pajamas from last night. Quickly I ran into the closet and threw on the closest shirt I could find, and searched through my drawers until I found a pair of pants that kind of matched. I ran a hand through my hair as fast as I could, and grabbed a mint from the drawer. Good enough.

"Liam?" I called out as I went through the hallway. I was alone tonight, my sisters were shopping and my parents went out to eat with some friends. "Liam?"

"Kitchen!" I heard the familiar and recognizable voice call out. A smiled spread on my lips and I slid down the banister to the first floor. I heard some rumbling in the kitchen and I quickly entered the room to see Liam searching through my fridge.

"How did you get in my house?" I laughed, and watched as Liam began to load food into a cooler that was sat on the counter.

"Dude, I have my own key, and if not I know you guys hide it behind the lamp-post." Liam shoved a chip in his mouth and it crunched loudly as he closed it to grin at me.

"So, what are we doing?" I inquired as Liam shoved two Pepsi's, two Coke's and any junk food he could find into the cooler. He glanced up at me and just shook his head, an evil glint in his eye.

"Where are we going?" I asked next. Still, Liam just smiled and said nothing.

"Is this a... a date?" I spoke quietly, a bit of hope in my voice as I said this. At first, Liam said nothing, and continued to pack the cooler, as if pondering the question. Then, slowly, he peeked up at me and nodded, just a hint of a smile on his handsome face.

~

"Is it a picnic?"

"No."

"Skating?"

"No." Liam chuckled in the front seat of the car and shook his head as he turned towards me. "Stop guessing, you've always been horrible at it."

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, looking out the window for any road signs that could hint me on where, in fact, I was going. We were traveling further and further away from the city.

"I can't tell you that, Zee,"

"Can you at least tell me who's car this is? Where's yours?" I wondered, looking around the interior of the Cavalier that Liam was driving.

"It's Ruth's. My Dad took mine in to get the tires spun or something, so I had to borrow it." Liam explained, and shifted the mirror in front of him. That was all he said for the remainder of the ride, as we turned down a small stone road, and to a little booth sitting in the middle of the field. I peeked under the car and saw a large white wall, and a gate in front of us.

"Two tickets for Man of Steel, please." Liam had rolled down the window and was passing money through to the woman in the ticket booth.

"Enjoy the movie, boys." Liam pulled forward and stuffed the change in his pockets, and it wasn't until I entered the gates that I realized exactly where we were.

"We're seeing Man of Steel! In a Drive-in!" I said excitedly, turning left and right, taking in all the cars and the people covering the field.

"I remember you said you've never been to a drive-in. So I brought you to one,"

"To see the new Superman movie!" I finished, practically jumping up and down in my seat. I loved Superman, he was my favorite superhero. Liam knew this, and it was sweet of him to bring me here. "Thank you, Li."

"Hey, don't thank me, Zee." Liam reached behind my seat for the cooler, and grinned. "I wanted to see this movie, too. We need to put on some bug spray, though."

Liam pulled into a spot and turned off the car, reaching into a side pocket for the bug spray. I rolled my eyes, Liam would be the one to bring bug spray. I'm sure I would still thank him later though, it always worked like that. Liam was very intelligent, and always thought ahead for everybody.

"So what time does the movie start?" I asked after both Liam and I were sprayed with the bug spray. Liam shrugged as he took a drink from his can, and pointed to the sky. "When it gets dark out?"

Liam nodded. "Once it's dark enough, the movie will start. The bathrooms are over there by the entrance, and the concessions is that building in the middle. The sound comes through a radio station right in the car, so we just have to turn it on."

"Oh, cool." I said, reaching for the 'On' button, and waiting for the radio to turn on. Nothing happened. I pushed it again, and still nothing happened.

"Shit!" Liam muttered, slapping himself on the face. "I forgot that Ruth's radio is broken!"

I almost spit out my pop, trying to hold back laughter and not embarass Liam any further. "Dude, how did you forget that?!"

"I don't know, I wasn't thinking, I was nervous and trying to surprise you and, I'm sorry, Zee, I'm so sorry." Liam stumbled, and laid his head down on the steering wheel. "I'm such an idiot."

"Li, don't be sorry, it's not your fault." I soothed, rubbing his shoulder. "If it's anyone's fault, it's Ruth's!"

Liam laughed once, and shrugged his shoulders. "So, do you want to go? We can go to my house and watch a movie or something? God, Zayn, I'm sorry, this is a horrible first date."

"Liam, it's fine, stop hating on yourself. And, I still really wanna watch this movie." I sighed, looking up as the film started on the screen. I turned around to the cars surrounding us, their windows opened and their eyes on the screen. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. "Follow me, Li."

I jumped from the car, keeping my head low to keep from annoying the cars behind me. Quickly, I made my way around the front of the car and to Liam's door. He stepped out and, quite stupidly, stood straight up, which resulted in many people behind us bickering at us. I quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him down to my level, and lifted a finger to my mouth. "Quiet, Li."

"What are you doing, Zayn?"

I began to crawl towards the car in front of us, and Liam followed behind me. "Watching a movie," I whispered. I continued to crawl until we got behind the car, it was a new Honda, and I sat down under the open window. The movie had already started, but Liam and I could now hear it from our seats on the ground. "Shhhh..." I whispered.

We only got to sit at that car for a short ten or fifteen minutes before the car door slammed open, hitting me and Liam on the back of the head. The woman in the car was pissed, and Liam and I had to make up an excuse about searching for the restroom. After that, we switched cars every twenty minutes. It made it difficult to watch a film, but it was pretty fun. We did this for about an hour or so, and the movie still had a long way to go. Right now, we were seated outside an old pick-up truck.

Suddenly, a flashlight beam was by the front of the car, about 5 feet away from where I was sitting. I cursed under my breath and slid closer to Liam as the light-holder came up right beside the truck.

"Is there a problem, sir?" The owner of the truck said, from where he and his date were seated in the bed of the truck.

"Ya'll haven't seen any teenage boys around here, have you?" A deep, deep voice asked. I felt fear shoot through my stomach, and Liam grabbed my wrist. "There're two boys running around here, I've had about six or seven complaints on them."

"We haven't seen anyone," Truck-guy said innocently, and he should be. Liam and I had been quiet, unnoticed the last five or so cars we went to. But the flashlight beam seemed to be getting closer, and Liam whispered in my ear. "Let's go."

We quickly crawled around the truck, and out of the view from the big security guard. I saw now just how big he was. Damn. I would not want to get in trouble with that guy. We made it around the side of the truck, and both stood up, keeping our backs against the exterior.

"He'll be looking for us on this side, since we've been over here the whole time and this is where most of the complaints had to have come from, so our best bet is to stay over on that side until he thinks we're gone, then come back and leave when the movie is over." Liam whispered quickly, and I had a hard time catching all of it. The general idea was across, though. Go to the other side and hide.

This was a whole new side of Liam in front of me, one I only saw a few times. It was smart, it was brave. It was even a little bit dangerous. And it was seriously hot as hell.

"Okay, let's run in three.." I nodded as Liam began to count us off.

"Two..."

"Hey, you kids!" Uh-oh, I thought, as Liam and I started to sprint for the concessions. "Get back here!" The deep voice yelled out as I ran behind Liam. Already, I was beginning to tire, and we had only ran a couple feet so far. I was out of shape, unlike Liam, who was a few feet ahead of me, running fast.

"Follow me, I know a nook." I heard Liam say, without a single lost breath. And here I was, panting. But I still followed him, I ran as fast as I could, and we came around the side of the concessions, slipping through a small opening. Once we were in there, Liam put a hand over my mouth to silence my heavy breathing, and I looked around. This was a small opening between the concessions building and a small shed behind it. It was enough for me and Liam to fit into, face to face, with only a few inches between us.

Face to face. I looked up from my panting and into the dark, warm eyes that I had known so much for the last three years of my life. They were literally stunning, especially in the dimly lit space we were in now. Liam slightly grinned, and removed his hand from my mouth. "I think we lost him." He whispered, setting both his hands on the walls either side of my head. I nodded dumbly.

"Listen, Zee, I'm sorry this was kinda a mess. I had a lot of fun though, thanks to you. I always plan too much, work too hard to make it perfect, and then it gets ruined. I'm sorry about the radio, and about the drive-in, and about being stuck in behind this damn shed. I just...I have to ask you something." He whispered, his voice getting quieter as he spoke longer. I gulped and tried my hardest not to pass out from his intense stare. Then I nodded.

"Anything, Li."

"Can..." Liam stood up straighter, from where before he was leaned up against the building. "Can I.... kiss you?"

I watched his eyes as they blinked, and I watched his eyebrows as they furrowed together adorably upon his question. I watched his lips as they finished the request, and as his tongue swiped over them. Again, I looked at his hopeful eyes and wondered....Did I want my best friend to kiss me?

"Yes." I choked out, in my head and into words. Liam smiled, and I felt both his hands come towards my face. Fear, hope, my sanity, everything shot through my body in that moment. Liam was holding my head as he got closer and closer, so where should I? I thought about when I kissed girls. So I set my hands on his hip, and prepared myself as I felt his hot breath on my lips. His facial hair scratched against my chin, and then, after what seemed like years of waiting and waiting for this moment, it came.

The impact, the single impact of his soft lips hitting mine. He tasted only faintly of the soda he had been drinking earlier, and it was delicious. His thumb traced over my cheek, just like that first day of band camp this year, where that sunscreen had been forgotten. My thumbs subconciously rubbed circles in Liam's hips as we began to push our heads closer, and closer together, our bodies fitting as if one in the tiny space that we had been pushed into. You couldn't even fit a paper between us. My head started to spin, and my stomach felt as if it was being squeezed from my body. Damn, Liam felt good.

Finally, Liam pulled away, his breath only slightly ragged. It was a small kiss, but it was a ginormous one for us, for me and him. It wasn't lustful or anything, it was just special. It wasn't my first kiss, or Liam's, but it was OUR first kiss. Liam took one hand and ran it through my hair, looking back into my eyes with such happiness, it was remarkable.

"You're such a slut, Zee." He laughed breathlessly. "I usually don't try to kiss a girl until the second or third date."

I grinned and bit my bottom lip, shrugging my shoulder innocently. "What can I say? I guess I'm just an exception to that, eh?"

"Definitely." Liam breathed. "You're definitely an exception."


	28. Chapter 28

~Niall~

The bus rocked gently and as Josh's hard shoulder began to hurt my head, I sat up with an exasperated sigh. "Can't sleep on this god damn thing."

Josh snorted, and wrapped his arm tighter around my shoulder. "Babe, I have such mixed feelings about you cussing. I feel like you're too perfect, like an angel and shouldn't be cursing. But then there is the other part of me," He got really close to my ear and his hot breath made my stomach twist. "That finds it so hot and frustrating."

I bit my lip and shook my head from lust as my cheeks burned from what Josh could do to my emotions. "So should I keep doing it? Or should I stop?" I joked.

"Continue, please."

"You know what, Harry?" I heard Louis snap from across the aisle, and saving me from absolutely drowning in Josh's brown eyes. "I'm beginning to regret picking these two for roomates on tonight's hotel stay."

"Hush, Lou, you guys are gonna have a ball with us." Josh rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, party time!" I snapped my finger and pointed over at Harry, who also rolled his eyes. "Besides, this is a chance for you two to get used to each other, you're going to be roomates next year at University!"

"I'll warn you, Josh." Harry spoke up for the first time, in his deep way, "Louis snores quite loudly."

"I do not!" Louis retorted, looking at his boyfriend with shock. "You fart!"

"You itch your bum!"

Louis stopped at that one, left with nothing witty to answer with. He shrugged his shoulder and sat back down in his seat. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Josh, Harry, and I laughed out loud, and Louis turned a fine shade of tomato red. Just as I thought the bus ride would never end, the bus stopped and Mr. Hilton came through the door. We were sitting in the far back, but his voice carried as he gave us the instructions for the night in the hotel room. "Okay guys, your bags are being unloaded from under the bus right now. Everyone find your bag and head into the lobby. All of you should know your room assignments and your numbers as I told them to you before we left the school. The front desk will go one by one asking you your room, and we will try to get everyone situated. Be patient though, we have a lot of people in the band. Once you get to your room, put your bags down and you guys can hang out and rest until about six o'clock. You all need to be down to the first conference room by six o'clock, because I am ordering pizza and it will be here around that time. Once everyone has had pizza, I'm basically giving you free rein until 11:30. There's a movie theater down the street, the lobby and that conference room will be opened all night for our school, and there are a lot of different restaraunts and fun things to do around here. See you guys at six!"

Mr. Hilton exited the bus after a big round of thank-you's by absolutely everyone on the band bus, and I stood up to depart the bus. "So what do you fellas wanna do tonight?"

"Oh, trust me, I know who-I mean what, I'm going to be doing tonight." Louis winked over in mine and Josh's direction, and both our heads turned to Harry, who was already headed for the front of the bus, oblivious to what his boyfriend had just decided. All three of us rolled our eyes. So that left just me and Josh, and that was definitely the way that I liked it.

~

A few hours later, after an intense game of spoons down in the lobby with Mia, Josh and I trudged up to our hotel room, both sleepy and ready to hit the sack.

"Mia totally cheated though, that one part." Josh cursed under his breath. "The damn girl."

"She's a troublemaker, isn't she?" I laughed, and squeezed Josh's hand comfortingly. He was a competitive kid, and would've won if it wasn't for Mia's said cheating. We came up to our door, and just as I reached for the handle, I realized that there was a note.

"Dear Josh and Niall," Josh read out, his eyes squinting as he struggled to make out the handwriting. "The door is locked. You really wouldn't want to be in here anyways. We'll let you back in at 11. Hugs and kisses, Louis and Harry."

"Those little bitches," I whispered, and turned back towards Josh. "So what do we do now?"

"We have two hours.." Josh sighed and bit his lip in thought. "We could go to that pub down the street?"

"Josh, we can't drink legally here, we're in high school." I shrugged, and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm hungry."

"They had cookies down by the front desk, let's go." Josh grabbed my hand and we began the walk back down to the elevator.

"Hey, wait. Didn't Mr. Hilton say his room was 415?" Josh gave me a mischevious look, and I nodded. Josh turned on his heel, still pulling me with him, and pointed to the door just a little ways around the hall. "That's 415. Go knock on it."

"What? No! What?" I stumbled, shocked at Josh's suggestion. "What would I do when he answers?"

"Nothing! You knock and run, Ni!" Josh grinned as if this was the greatest idea ever. I, however, was nervous.

"But what if I get in trouble, what if he finds out it was me?"

"Deny it! Come on, babe, just try it, it's fun! Louis and I did it last year, it's great!" Josh placed his hands on my waist and began to push me forward. "C'mon try it!"

"Fine, fine!" I whisper-shouted, pushing my boyfriend's hands off of me, "But this is all I do then we go get cookies."

"Okay, fine, cookies. Now go!"

Josh nodded at me encouraginly, and slowly, I began to tiptoe closer to the door. My heart was pounding in my chest and I felt as if it would pound right out because of the fear. I didn't like getting in trouble, I didn't want to do this. But Josh was looking at me with such intensity that I wanted to, somehow. It was dangerous, and I don't know I just really wanted my cookie.

I reached my hand up to knock, and slowly got my fist closer and closer to the door. Then I knocked, twice, two hard pounds on the door, and then I started running.

I grabbed Josh's hand as I ran past him, and I pulled him behind me towards the elevator. Once we were safely inside, I pushed the button to close the door, and I took a deep breath. Josh was watching me intensely, and then we both just bursted out laughing.

"That was actually a lot of fun!" I laughed, "That wasn't scary at all!"

"You should've seen your face, babe, you were so scared."

"I was not!" I said defensively as I punched Josh's shoulder. "I thought I was going to get caught."

"But that's the beauty of ding-dong-ditch, my dear." Josh threw his arm over my shoulder and kissed my cheek sloppily. "You never get caught."

I laughed once, and thought about how I never in my life would've done that before. I stepped out from Josh's arm and kissed him, straight on the lips as the elevator traveled down to the lobby. Josh reacted instantly, and soon both of us were moving in sync.

Josh was holding onto my waist, pressing our bodies close together, and making my stomach turn inside of me. I held his head close to mine, making our lips pressed together with such passion that it was hard to not melt into one. As we heard the elevator button ding, we pulled apart and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing my face as close to him as I could, and breathing in his wonderful scent.

"Thank you, Josh. You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."


	29. Chapter 29

~Harry~

My hands shook vigorously as I tried to zip up my band pants, and I hardly felt the need to complain about the pangs, especially today. The last few shows I began to actually enjoy the loose suspender pants. They were quite comfortable. 

But I was nervous today, because today was state. 

"Wow, Harry," Niall came up to me as he struggled with his own zipper. "Weird to see you in pants that aren't painted on." 

"Shut up." I gently slapped his face and he laughed out loud. "Is-is it hot out here?" 

"Harry, its 27 degrees." I looked from my trombone case and to Niall's confused face. "Are you okay?" 

"Nothing...just a little..." I looked at my reflection off the bus windows. My cheeks were red, my hair was messy, I had bags under my eyes. I quickly tried to fix my hair and noticed that my hands were absolutely soaked with sweat as my face was too. I was shaking all over. "I'm just a little nervous." 

"Nervous?" 

"You know," I shrugged. "State and all. Biggest performance of our lives. Whatever." 

Niall pulled his hat onto his head and did up his strap, a small smile growing on his face. "Dude, you're nervous!" 

"Just a little, I told you that. Whatever- I don't care." 

"Mmmhmm." Niall sounded sarcastic, and I felt myself getting defensive. However I ignored him, and just shot him a nasty look before heading back into the trailer. I set my trombone case on its shelf and hung up my uniform bag before hopping back out the door. 

"Now where's Louis?" I mumbled to myself, and bit my lip as I turned in a full circle to look for my boyfriend. The wind was blowing hard, and it was difficult to tell between people with the band hats on. 

I made my way around the big yellow bus and found him there, his arms moving up and down to a rhythm that only he knew. Louis was practicing. 

"Hey," I leaned against the bus, and asked a question I already knew the answer to. "What are you doing?" 

He blushed, which was the main reason behind me asking. It got to him, and I absolutely loves getting to Louis. "Just practicing a bit, is all." 

"Nervous?" I crossed my arms over my chest as I asked, hoping that the answer would be yes. I wouldn't be the only one then. 

"Just a tad." He winked, and reached for my hand. "But I'm not worried. We didn't come all this way to lose." 

"We certainly didn't." I nodded, and Louis and I exchanged a look filled with warmth, despite the cold October air. The look was filled with memories from the last few months. August was camp, September was shows, and here was the end of October and we were performing at finals. Time flies when you're having fun. 

"Don't be nervous, Harry. You don't have to worry at all." Louis leaned in close and brushed his nose against mine. I closed my eyes as I breathed in his scent. Comforting. "Because there is no way in hell my baby is leaving this show without his superior." 

"Band! We have to go over to the practice field. Louis?!" We both stepped apart when we heard Mr. Hilton yell, and sighed. 

"Good Luck." I kissed his soft cheek gently and quickly pulled my hat on my head. We came from behind the bus to see the band lined up and ready for the practice field. I shivered underneath my uniform, and tried to keep my teeth from chattering. It was so cold. 

"What's the temperature?" I asked to no one in particular. All I got was a few shrugs. This was not the usual weather for this time of year. 

"Band ten hut!" I heard Becka yell, and I quickly came to attention. "Mark time, mark." 

The band stepped off in unison as we began the march to the practice field which wasn't even that far from the buses. 

"Why do we have to march this?" I mumbled. 

"It makes us look awesome." My section leader said behind me. "Makes the other bands think we are better. It's a cocky thing." 

I nodded as we continued to march the last few steps to the practice field, and as Mr. Hilton told us to rest. 

Mr. Hilton was walking around to the different groups tuning, so I came up by Niall and watched him play his different instruments. That was, until I heard a crack and a pop behind me. 

"Oww!" I turned to hear this gross sobbing, and saw that one of the color guard girls, Julia, had tripped behind me. 

"Julia, are you okay?!" The color guard instructor came up quickly and helped her up, looking her up and down. "Are you hurt?" 

"Ow, ohmygod, my wrist." She cried, holding her one hand up with her other. 

After a quick check by some different parents, it was determined that Julia had broken her wrist. What was forgotten was that she had a major solo at the beginning of the show. It was an intense gymnastic-y, jazzy, dance-y solo, and it introduced the first soloist and the beginning of the show. 

"Julia, you can't do your dance, sweetie." Her mom, a chaperone, consoled her. 

"Your mom is right, Julia." Mr. Hilton added with a sad look. "I can't let you go out on the field with a broken wrist." 

So after a few moments of convincing Julia that she couldn't go, and Niall and I standing next to them like creepy stalkers we were called back to attention to head out to the field. Slowly everyone lined up, shivering and scared because now we didn't have an opening. No opening and it was freezing. My trombone felt like a popsicle in my hand. 

As we got closer to the actual stadium we would be playing in, it slowly started to sprinkle. A lit rain began to come down, and it hit our hats loudly. 

"Okay, guys, listen up!" Mr. Hilton called us into a circle and rubbed his hands together. "It's cold, yes. It's raining, yes. And the show won't start off as we meant it to. But you guys have worked months to get this show to where it is now. You guys have to take every other show you've performed this year and stick it into this one today. March good, play better, and most importantly, have fun. Don't let yourself down, guys. Don't worry about letting me down, you definitely wont do that. Just don't let yourself down." 

Everyone smiled and shivered closer together, somewhat as a group hug and others to warm up. 

"Good luck, Curly." I smiled as I felt the soft lips on my neck, and I turned towards Louis, the only person in the world that called me that. 

"G'Luck," I mumbled and wrapped him in a hug. "I love you." 

"Love you too." He whispered into my hair and then he stepped away. 

"Band, come to attention." Louis smiled, and shivered in his spot. "Let's do this, band." 

I followed the person in front of me as we marched onto the field, and everyone got set into their starting positions. With my horn in front of my face and my chin up, we started the show. 

We all waited stupidly as the time passed where Julia should be doing her dance. Right after, the saxophone player, Danny, started up his solo. 

Everyone cringed as the nastiest sound ever came out of his cold instrument. When it was cold out the reeds on the saxophone froze up and made it difficult to play. Many, many more squawks came out of the instrument before his solo was finished, filling everyone up with the same questions; would this mess up our score? 

As everyone else was previously distracted with the saxophone squawks, I missed my step off, and my horns up. I looked in both directions and saw that almost all my line had too. 

I tried to make up for it through the rest of the show, but the cold was distracting and well....cold. My instrument sounded funny and I kept missing all my steps. As we came to the trombone group solo in the third song, I played as loud and as strong as I could, my eyes set straight on Louis, keeping myself in time with the rhythm. We only had one more song left. 

I stepped off well and followed the line I was supposed to as we hit our final formation. From this formation we just shifted across the field a couple times until the song was complete. 

I was looking at the crowd. Was my mom here? Who else was here? I played instinctively and tried my hardest not to freeze up. I hated the cold, I hated it. 

The last part of our show came to a close, and I snapped my instrument down in time with the rest of the band. As we turned and began to march off the field, there was multiple different questions that ran through my mind. The main one I think ran through everyone's. Would we get our superior? 

"Great show, band." Mr. Hilton looked pleased. Or was he just acting? "You were all a little shaky at the beginning but you really pulled through. Now we were the last band for this round, so senior commanders get back up to the front and band, you all can come right up here to the stands. We will have time to change afterwards." 

I looked desperately through the crowd for Louis, but I couldn't spot him anywhere. Niall was pulling angrily on my wrist. "Harry, we will see him after the ratings are given! We have to go, c'mon." 

"He's right, Harry, Louis has to go up and accept our superior." Josh smiled and I slowly followed after the two boys. 

"Do you think we will get a superior?" I asked Josh. He nodded and began to go into this big rant about the judges. Apparently, they liked our band. 

"Good evening, band-lovers, and welcome to the second round of the ratings for the state finals competition. There are no awards at this competition, just ratings. Lets start with our first band!" 

There were seven bands in front of us, and slowly the announcer counted them off. Superior, Superior, Excellent, Superior, Superior, Superior, and another superior. We were the last band. 

"And for Lakewood High School. Your rating is....." I grippes Niall hand tightly, and Zayn's next to me. The entire band was linked together by a ginormous train of hand-holding. 

"Lakewood High School gets a two! An 'Excellent' for Lakewood High School."


	30. Chapter 30

~Harry~

I did up the last button of the crisp, white shirt I had previously ironed and checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror. A shaking, nervous wreck stared back at me, and I offered a frightened smile to the reflection. Just one more look-over and I would be ready. Straighten my bow tie, pull up my pants, tie up my shoes.

“Harry? Are you ready, I don’t want to be late!” My mom’s voice broke the silence of the house, and I yelled back out the bathroom door.

“Almost!”

“Did you remember your zipper this time?”

“Yes, Mum, I’m almost seventeen years old!” I yelled with a laugh, and quickly peeked down at my crotch. “Yikes.”

I started through the hallway after pulling my zipper up. Seconds later I was in the kitchen. “Let’s go, I’m ready.” I looked up at my mom after a few seconds and saw that tears were in her eyes, and I frowned.

“Mum, what’s wrong?” I asked, placing a hand on her arm as she lifted it to wipe a stray tear.

She shook her head and smiled up at me. “Nothing, baby, I’m just proud of you.”

“Why is everyone saying that to me recently?” I wondered aloud, as I took my mother into a hug. “You are, Louis’ mum is, Louis is. Even Niall told me he was proud of me. Why are you all proud of me?”

“You’ve changed, Harry, believe it or not.” My mom’s voice shook as she spoke, and I held her tighter. “You hated band, you hated anything besides that nasty group of friends you had. I don’t know what it was, Louis, seeing Niall again, band itself, but you’ve changed so much.”

“Mum, it’s still me, I’m still Harry.” I whispered.

“Yes, you’re Harry. You’re Louis’ Harry. You’re my Harry. No matter how old you get..” My mom stopped for a shaky breath and wiped away a tear. “You’ll always be my baby, Harry. Thank you so much.”

“Thank you, Mum,” I nodded and kissed her hair. She pulled away softly and squinted her eyes at me.

“Why do you have to thank me, darling?”

I thought about my boyfriend. I thought about the blue-eyed boy that was my best friend again. I thought about all the other friends I had made. Josh, Liam, Zayn, Mia, my section leader. I thought about band. “No reason, Mum.” I smiled and threw an arm over her shoulder. “Let’s go. We have a band banquet to attend.”

 

~Niall~

As I entered the cafeteria, I was completely torn. There was a table of desserts on one side, with so many delicious options. Then on the other side, I could see my boyfriend among a group, looking equally delicious as he laughed and joked with his senior classmates.

But I turned towards him, and away from the desserts, because this night was certainly not about my stomach. It was about him. The last month or so has been about me, Josh always made sure of that. Making sure I had enough blankets at the awards, making sure I was full at the band lunches, making sure that I was happy. But this one night was his, and I was literally going to do anything for him.

“Don’t you look dashing, Mr. Horan?” I smiled as I heard the voice behind me, and I turned to what I expected to be the pink-haired girl. Although, this time, the pink was a bit more….brown.

“You died your hair!!!” I gasped, pulling my best friend into a hug. “Ohmygosh, Mia, you look awesome!”

“Well, coming from a gay guy I’m not sure if that’s a real compliment,” She shrugged, “But I’ll accept it. Hopefully this influences you to go all natural, my friend!”

“What do you mean?” I asked shakily.

“You can’t hide forever, Niall, I’ve seen your roots! You’re a brunette.” Mia stated and crossed her arms over her green lacey dress.

“Whoa, you’re a brunette? That’s hot, babe.” I felt a kiss being pressed to my cheek, and I rolled my eyes at my boyfriend. “You look beautiful, Mia.”

“Again, another gay compliment, but thank you, Josh. I love the bow-ties.” I turned in question to Josh, to notice that he was in fact, wearing a bow tie. Louis came up beside him and he was wearing one as well. As I looked, astonished around the cafeteria, I noticed that every single senior boy was wearing a bow tie.

“Oh, that’s priceless!” I laughed, and Mia smiled. She excused herself and I felt Josh’s hand trail from the small of my back to my hand, and I was pulled away to a table.

“Where’s Harry, Louis?”

“He’s on his way, I think, his mom was running a little behind he told me.” Louis took a seat at one of the tables, and I slowly followed beside Josh.

“Mind if we sit with you lads?” I turned to see Liam standing above us, with Zayn not far behind, as the two were always inseperable.

“No problem, buddy.” Louis smiled, and Liam took a seat on the other side of him. “Harry should be here, soon.”

 

~Liam~

“Liam, are you excited for next year?” Josh asked, and crossed his arms onto the table. I blushed as I peeked at Zayn. Our last year together?

“A bit nervous to tell say the least.” I lied, not wanting to say what I was really thinking.

“It’s really not as scary or crazy as you’d think.” Louis nodded, and leaned back in his seat. “You’re a leader, Liam, you won’t have a problem with that. You just gotta know that it’s you. Mr. Hilton chose you for a reason, so he obviously believes you can do it.”

“I guess. Just last year and all.” Again, I looked up at Zayn. “It’s nerve-wracking.”

“You know what has to be nerve-wracking?” Niall asked, tilting his head sideways as he looked at Louis. “The fact that that entire crowd of people is looking at your bum while you conduct.”

“I’m sure they are watching the show, Niall.” Louis rolled his eyes as if talking to a preschooler. “And if not then they obviously like their view.”

“Maybe the judge’s were so distracted by Louis’ bum that they didn’t even watch the show,” Zayn laughed and took a drink of water, looking quizzically at all of us.

“So you’re blaming our excellent on my bum?” Louis pretended to be angry as he leaned forward in his chair and scrunched his nose up at Zayn.

“Hey, lads, what we talking about?” Harry showed up with a bright smile, and sat down on the other side of Louis. I laughed.

“Louis’ bum.”

 

“Wow, really? The one time I’m late and I miss a chat about the one thing in band I actually know all about.” Harry frowned and slowly unfolded his napkin, setting it onto his lap. “When are we eating, I’m starving.”

“Soon, I hope,” Niall smiled, and Josh kissed his cheek. Louis and Harry. Niall and Josh. Zayn and I. All with so much but so little time.

I don’t know, I guess today was just a weird time for me. I knew that this was the last official day of band stuff. No more lock-ins. No more shows. No more morning practices, at least for this year. And next year would be my responsibility. Was I ready to balance the weight of the whole band on my shoulders, and still try this thing out with Zayn. It was also senior year. College was coming, graduation, next year’s banquet. What was I supposed to do then?

“Hey, Li, are you okay?” I felt a hand on my arm and I looked up into Zayn’s brown eyes, immediately calming down. “We can go up and get our food now, and then Mr. Hilton is going to make call up some people to make some speeches.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I nodded, gulped, and shook my head free of those last thoughts. I still had a year. One whole year to make it matter.

 

~Louis~

My heart was swelled up as I thought of the last five months, and as I ate my dinner. Well, picked at my dinner. No, I wasn’t an abnormally picky eater. I mean sure, some things grossed me out, and others just made me wanna hurl, but I ate what I eat, you know. I was just incredibly distracted my the boy on my left, Harry Styles.

I was so, so proud of him. So much it made me actually want to puke. He was my senior year of marching band. The thought of actually having to leave him in only a few short months just….again, I wanted to puke.

Just imagine the one thing in your life. You smiled when you saw it, you frowned when it left. If you were in a fire it would be the one thing you would save. When you weren’t with it, all you could think about was that one thing.

I know I was being cheesy, but it was hard. I knew Josh understood how I felt, though. Him and Niall were the same as Harry and I.

“Louis?”

“Huh?” I looked around at the cafeteria, confused and embarassed to see that the entire group of parents and band kids were looking at me. “What?”

A laugh ran through the crowd as I noticed Mr. Hilton and Beckah standing up in front a little ways. “Would you like to say a few words, Louis?”

“Oh, right, yeah. Of course.” I stood and cleared my throat, making my way up to the band director. Beckah shot me a joking look, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

“I-uh…Well, I had something to say when I was in my seat daydreaming!” I laughed at myself, and pulled myself together. “Just thank you to all the parents for supporting us this year. The crew, we couldn’t have done anything without you. Mr. Hilton, thank you for the last four years, you were an amazing teacher. Beckah, you were a wonderful partner-in-crime, and such an extremely talented and beautiful girl.”

I thought for a minute and searched the crowd. “Just all the other seniors, I know we are going to miss this place. And next year, you guys have to get that superior!”

“And I want to thank every single member of this band, you all worked so hard. I’m proud of every single one of you, I couldn’t have asked for a better senior year.” I turned straight towards Harry as I said this, and looked him dead on in his green eyes, and he shot a color of red. “Thank you. I love you, Harry.”

~Josh~

I stood shell-shocked in front of all the parents and band members staring at me, and took a large gulp. How did some people do this? I hated talking in front of crowds, but of course, I was nominated to speak. Great.

“I..uh. I guess I’ve been nominated by the senior boys to say a few words on behalf of us all.” I gulped and smiled waveringly at the crowd. “I think we all want to say thank you, to our parents and to the crew. Mr. Hilton as well, and everyone else who helped this year. I guess everyone that Louis said.” I paused for a moment and caught my breath, looking around until my eyes landed on Niall’s. “I joined band four years ago because I loved the drums. Not because band was the coolest thing, or because I thought the uniforms were cute. We all know that those two things definitely aren’t true. But I joined it anyways, and I’m happy I did. I never expected to come out of band four years later having met as many cool people as I have, or having loved so many of the people I had met. I guess, I just wanna say thank you to everyone who helped me personally throughout the last four years. Band is cool!”

There was some applause and laughter through the crowd as I finished, and returned to my seat. After the speeches and such, it was the end of the band banquet. No one really left after that though, you liked to stay around and get some pictures. Well, parents did. The kids just put up with it and were someday grateful for the memories they would’ve forgotten.

“That was adorable, Joshie!” Louis wrapped me in a tight hug, and I rolled my eyes.

“I love you too, Louis.” I laughed as he let go and planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek.

“No, seriously, Josh, that was great.” Louis grinned. “I swear at one point I saw you tear up.”

“Me, no way.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

“Louis is right. I saw it too.” Niall came up beside me, and Louis quickly departed and left us both alone. “That was amazing, Josh.”

“Thanks, babe.” I smiled, and kissed his lips firmly just once. He wrapped his arms around my neck, and I almost did tear up as he buried his face into my neck.

“I’m gonna miss you so much, Josh.” Niall’s voice was dead in my ear and my vision got blurry as I realized just how much I would miss my little angel.

“I’m going to miss you too, Niall. So, so much.”

 

~Zayn~

I stuck my tongue out and pulled out a peace-sign for what was hopefully the last picture of the night. I hugged the percussion senior section leaders each and turned back around, completely exhausted.

“I hate pictures.” I breathed to Liam next to me, and he looked confused at me.

“You love looking at your reflection, how could you hate pictures?”

“Shut up,” I punched his arm, and we both headed out the door towards his car.

“You know just one more year, Zee?” Liam frowned, and I looked up at him with a surprised look.

“I suppose. Just one year left.”

“Only a year.”

“Yup.” I popped, and both Liam and I slowly stopped walking. “You’re going to be a great field commander.”

“Yeah…yeah, thanks.” Liam bit his lip as he turned towards me. “Zee, what’s going to happen??”

“What do you mean?” I asked, reaching out for his upper arm as I saw his lip tremble.

“I mean what’s going to happen? It won’t be band and shows forever. We only have one more year….what’s going to happen?”

I frowned as I thought about it. I hadn’t thought about college yet, which is actually pretty awful considering that we did in fact only have one year. “I don’t know, Li. We’re going to go to college, I suppose.”

“Together? Or what, what about…” He trailed off, and I didn’t need to hear him say it to know. What about us? What about this thing we were trying? What would happen to us?

“I don’t know, Li, I really don’t. No one can know, I guess. We just have to go with it. What happens will happen.” I kissed his forehead gently and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go back to my house okay? Play some video games? What I want to happen right now is to beat you on Level 13!”

“Fine, fine.” Liam smiled up at me, and followed willingly to his car as the thoughts of the future escaped our minds.

Sure, I didn’t know what was going to happen next year, next month, even tomorrow. But I didn’t need to, because right now all I needed was to tell remember all the things that happened this year.

Because we all have those stories from that one time at band camp.


End file.
